3rd Mainland Bridge: Sanwo-Olu appeals to motorists to drive with patience 

Governor of Lagos State on Saturday afternoon undertook an inspection of the partially closed Third Mainland Bridge and appealed to motorists to drive with patience during the duration of the work.

The all-important bridge was closed to traffic midnight of Friday, July 24 to enable the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to carry out maintenance work on its critical sections, including the expansion joints.

The repair works on both lanes of the bridge will last a total of six months, during which period traffic is expected to worsen on alternative routes, especially the Carter and Eko Bridges.

But Sanwo-Olu who made a brief stop to see how traffic is being managed on the partially closed bridge, appealed to motorists to bear with the government, as the repair work was in the interest of the general motoring public.

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According to him, the situation may not really be as bad as been speculated, adding the heavy traffic on the bridge on Saturday was as a result of the normal influx in and out of the Lagos Island on weekends. “What we need is patience, patience,” he said.

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) had on Friday tasked its officers to be civil with apprehensive motorists and to desist from the indiscriminate arrest of motorists for minor traffic offences for the period the work would last.

General manager of LASTMA, Olajide Oduyoye, who gave the admonition at a press conference jointly addressed by state officials, including commissioners for information and strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; transportation, Frederick Oladeinde; special adviser on works and infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye and Oluwatoyin Fayinka, special adviser on transportation and chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Apapa, Kayode Opeifa, ahead of the commencement of the repair works, said everything was being done to lessen the stress.

According to Oduyoye, “This is not the time for the officers to arrest offenders for every minor traffic infractions” because of the ongoing repair of the bridge.

Over 650 LASTMA officials will take the lead in traffic management to be complemented by other traffic agencies, including the federal road safety corps.