With Third Mainland Bridge being scheduled for repairs starting July 1, the Lagos State government has unveiled alternate routes to help alleviate heavy traffic to and from the Lagos Island axis. The state plans to make sure that roads are in good repair before the first, and that the new traffic radio station 96.1 FM will be there to keep road users up to date. He said that even though the situation was similar to repairs carried out in 2008, they were better prepared and have put measures in place to ensure that the outcome would be less stressful on motorists, the Punch reported.

In a press conference yesterday, commissioner for works and Infrastructure, Obafemi Hamzat explained that the repairs were necessary, and that there were structural issues that needed to be addressed for safety.

“Everybody says we don‘t have maintenance culture. This is maintenance culture. The bridge needs to be maintained and this is what is happening.

“When the bridge, which has eight expansion joints, was constructed, it was constructed as two structures hanging on one. One will notice that when vehicles  get to these joints, the bridge vibrates.

“And, as more vehicles pass through these joints, the bridge compresses. So, the repair work that is going to be done is to strengthen the joints  in order for it to function properly.

“The maintenance work is very necessary. It is actually for the safety of  its users  and  the durability of the bridge,” he said.

The road linking Yaba to Oyingbo, down to Funsho Williams Avenue was named as one of the key alternate routes named by the officials

The Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa laid out the plans and alternate routes:

He said a good number of the state‘s traffic officials were deployed to the different routes identified for diversions around the bridge to ensure that the plan worked.

He said: “The traffic management strategy is structured around the current use of the bridge. And, the direction of flow of vehicular traffic determines the diversion strategy.

“We have also examined other roads that would be used during the period and we have structured our strategy towards these roads.

“The road will be closed between 00:00am and 12:00 pm. These are the times of diversion and these are the critical times. During these times, there will be two scenarios.

“In the morning that is between 00:00am and 12:00pm, when coming from the Island to the Mainland, at Adeniji- Adele, one is expected to divert to Carter Bridge.

“When one gets to Carter Bridge, one is expected to proceed to Iddo, where the redistribution will happen.

“From Iddo, one can proceed to Herbert Macaulay Way down to Jibowu and link either Agege Motor Road or Ikorodu Road.

”Also, from Iddo, one may like to link Ijora Olopa, one will need to link Eko Bridge and from that bridge one can get to Funsho Williams Avenue.

“ From Funsho Williams Avenue, between Ojuelegba and Moshalasi, one can decide to use either Ikorodu Road or Agege Motor Road to link other parts  of the mainland. “