… call for proper traffic management to avoid gridlock
Ahead of the commencement of repair works on Apapa-Marine Beach Bridge, industry stakeholders have identified the need for proper traffic management to avoid the return of gridlock within the Apapa precinct while the work last.
The Federal Government is mobilising Julius Berger plc to begin the repair works from Saturday, March 4. The repair is to last a period of 128 days, equivalent to four months.
According to the stakeholders, the relevant agencies, the federal and Lagos State governments should collaborate towards ensuring that movement of articulated and duty vehicles that lift cargo from the ports do not obstruct free traffic flow in and out of Apapa.
Tony Anakebe, managing director of Gold-Link Investment Limited, who said the Federal Government had neglected the Western Avenue bound Apapa/Wharf-Ijora Bridge, which has been closed down for over four months, observed that the planned repair was coming at good timing, owing to the fact that there were still skeletal activities at the port.
“Movement of trucks and trailers out of Apapa has been hectic due to the traffic in the last few months, and due to overflow that occur as a result of limiting heavy duty vehicles from making use of only the foot of the bridge to exit Apapa. And now that every motorist would be forced to use the foot of the bridge, there is need for effective traffic management. We believed that if the Federal Ministry Works in partnership with the uniform agencies of the government commit themselves to managing the traffic, the gridlock would be relative,” he said.
Aloga Ogbogo, executive secretary, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), described as appropriate the planned repair of the bridge, urging the contractor and the supervisory ministry to, however, stick to the timeframe to lessen traffic backlashes on the road users.
Obikwere Onyeka, a Customs licensed agent and frequent user of the road, who lauded the moves to fix the bridge, noted that it had been long overdue judging from the number of heavy duty trucks and trailers that use the bridge on daily basis, despite the terrible fire incident that occurred on the bridge years back.
“The bridge just like the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway that also leads to the two major seaports in Lagos has been neglected for many years. And this puts the safety of motorists and port users at risk,” Onyeka said.
Godwin Eke, the Federal Controller of Works, Southwest, in a telephone interview, said the first phase of the closure would be from the foot of Apapa Bridge by Leventis Bus-stop on Lagos-bound axis, and assured port users and other motorists that vehicular traffic would be diverted from Leventis Bus-stop through Harbour Road for the work to commence.
He said that there would not be total closure of the bridge as vehicles would be allowed to connect the bridge after bypassing the position under construction. He assured that traffic would be properly controlled to avoid unnecessary gridlock.
Eke further added that regulatory agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Navy, the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, Association of Maritime Truck Owners, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers have been integrated to manage free flow of traffic in the next four months of the repair works.
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