Lagos to close Marine Bridge for 5 months for emergency repairs
Lagos State government has announced partial closure of the Marine Beach Bridge by Total Gas, inwards Apapa for five months, effective from Wednesday, May 27 to Wednesday, October 2, 2020 for an emergency repair works.
The government said on Sunday that the repair works were in line with the vision of providing a seamless transportation system across the metropolis.
According to Frederic Oladeinde, the commissioner for transportation, in a statement the repairs to be carried out by the Federal Ministry of Works has been long overdue.
Oladeinde said the repair was vital for the safety of the people, especially motorists that ply the bridge to access different parts of the state.
He further explained that necessary palliative works have been carried out on all alternative routes around the construction site, making them to be in motorable condition to ease movements during the construction period.
The commissioner also said that the repair which will comprise bearing and expansion joint replacement would be executed in two phases; with each phase focusing on one lane of the bridge at a time.
“The first phase will involve handling the lane inbound Apapa while the second phase will be designated to work on the lane that conveys vehicles outside the axis,” he said.
He further disclosed that adequate arrangement has been put in place to manage the construction period, adding that motorists inwards Wharf road will be diverted to the other section of the bridge outwards Apapa.
He said that a contraflow of 200 metres has been put in place for vehicles to realign with a proper direction inwards Ajegunle or Wharf road, Apapa, while motorists descending to Total Gas under bridge will drive without any hindrance.
The commissioner added that the traffic management authorities including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), would be stationed at the construction locations to ameliorate the effect of the expected traffic issues.
While appealing to motorists and residents of the area to cooperate with the traffic management bodies deployed to the area to manage the traffic situation, the state government expressed commitment to providing a transportation system that “will meet the needs of a larger population in an emerging smart city.”