Motorists and port users going to Apapa and Olodi-Apapa axis will from March 4, start experiencing traffic hitches as the Federal Ministry of Works on Tuesday said it would close down the Marine Beach Bridge in Apapa for a period of 128 days, equivalent to four months.
According to an agreement reached at a day stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos on Tuesday, the closure of the bridge is to enable the contractor carry out comprehensive repair works, which is scheduled to commence on March 4, and would be done in phases for the four months.
Godwin Eke, the federal controller of works in Lagos, said at the meeting that the bridge was in critical condition and must be totally closed for rehabilitation, to prevent incident of collapse, and allow for a thorough job to be done.
While stating that the repair jobs would be done in phases, he said sectionalising the repair job would help to properly manage traffic and prevent gridlock. He however solicited for the combined efforts of all the regulatory agencies present to enable for efficient management of traffic during the work period.
The stakeholders however, agreed that all the agencies including the Nigerian Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Defense Corps and among others to join hands to manage the traffic and they agreed to have on site meeting on February 27 to chart a way forward.
Recall that the Marine Beach Bridge was damaged by fire incident that occurred 10 years back and was awarded for repair in 2012. However, the repair works was delayed due to lack of funds.
Reacting to this, obi Onyeka, a Customs Licensed Agent, who commended the Federal Government on the move, told our correspondent that the repair works was long overdue given the terrible fire incident that occurred on the bridge that put the integrity of the bridge into question.
The danger in neglecting such work, he said, was that it puts the safety of motorists and every Nigerian that uses the bridge given the fact that due to its nearness to the seaport, heavy and articulated vehicles ply the bridge, which could be dangerous.
Onyeka further called on the Federal Government to also reconsider the Western Avenue bound Apapa/Wharf-Ijora Bridge, which has been closed down for over four months, for possible repairs so that heavy-duty vehicles can be allowed to make use of the bridge that was reserved for only small vehicles.
He also noted that movement out of Apapa on the part of truck and trailer drivers have been hectic due to the traffic overflow that occur as a result of limiting heavy duty vehicles to making use of only the under bridge of the Marine Beach to exit Apapa
