Rehabilitation of Third Mainland Bridge won’t make motorists inconvenient, Umahi assures

The minister of works, David Umahi, has allayed the fears of motorists on the rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Land which is planned to last three months, beginning from Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

The minister has assured the motorists that the maintenance work would not inconvenient or discomfort them as the work would take place only between midnight and 4am and during weekends.

To hasten the speed of work, the minister said more than one contractor would be engaged due to the emergency nature of the work, adding that the work would end in Phase Four which involves the repairs of deflected slabs, bearings, piers and pile caps.

He disclosed that the scope of work to be done would involve milling out the excess asphalt and retaining only two millimetres, pointing out that what they were going to do was the first phase meant to secure the integrity as well as aesthetics of the upper deck components of the bridge.

Read also: Full rehabilitation of Third Mainland Bridge begins November 1 — Umahi

According to the minister, the maintenance of the aesthetics would include replacement of the railings, installation of solar-powered lights and CCTV cameras for optimal security of the bridge.

He noted that the patching of various sections of the top surface of the bridge had led to undulating surfacing, which was not healthy for its safety, hence the need to remove and relay the entire asphalt covering.

Umahi, a civil engineer by training, lamented that most of the bridges in Lagos were about 60 years old and had outlived their design lifespan, hence the need for constant rehabilitation.

He cited the Marina shoreline which, he said, had deteriorated and was threatening the foundation of some parts of the Blue Rail Line, hence the need for urgent protection which had begun.

“Marina shoreline is gone,” he said, adding, “henceforth a 10-year maintenance responsibility will be attached to projects for contractors to bear repair costs within the period if the road failed. Contractors who constructed roads that failed within two years risked jail term in line with global best practices to curb shoddy constructions.”

The decision to rehabilitate the 11.8-kilometre bridge which links Lagos Island with the Mainland followed the minister’s inspection of the under deck and lagoon sections of the bridge and others.

The minister, along with a team of engineers, directors of the Federal Ministry of Works and journalists, inspected the lagoon sections of the Third Mainland, Carter, Independence and Falomo Bridges during which he announced comprehensive rehabilitation beginning on November 1.

He also inspected the Lagoon portions of the bridge after inspecting its top surface at the weekend.