A section of the Eko Bridge was on Tuesday shut down to prevent its collapse. ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE, who visited the bridge, writes that the move was timely

 

Fifty-five years after it was constructed by Julius Berger, Lagos’ Second Mainland Bridge, better known as the Eko Bridge, which was meant to make commuting between the Island and the mainland easier was shut on Tuesday.

The bridge was Julius Berger AG’s first contract in Nigeria and was delivered in August 1965.

Eko Bridge is one of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, the first being Carter bridge while the other is the Third Mainland.

The motion to have the bridge constructed was moved by Bolu Akande, who brought up the idea of having a second bridge in Lagos, at a summit of leaders in 1963, but no one took notice of it until 1965.

The bridge starts from Ijora on the mainland and ends at the Apongbon area of Lagos Island. The lagoon section of the bridge spans a distance of 430 metres. The bridge and its landward extension of 1350 metres were constructed in phases between 1965 and 1975.

It serves as the preferred access point for vehicular traffic approaching Lagos Island from the Apapa and Surulere areas of Lagos.

 

Emergency Closure

The inward Lagos Island carriage was shut down from Alaka Bridge end to enable engineers to carry out integrity test on the bridge, which has shown serious gaps and distress.

The closure, it was learnt, was to enable the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing ascertain the extent of the distressed joints and this will determine the timeframe for its repair.

Though both the inbound and outbound sides of the bridge are affected almost at the same spot, right in front of the Nigerian Breweries Plc, it is the inbound carriage that was on Tuesday partially closed for integrity investigation by the Federal Ministry of Works.

Boys, who were seen inside a Portakabin under the distressed bridge, said the distress had been festering for the past seven years.

One of them said: “This bridge has opened like this for the past seven years if not more. There was a time we saw some people come and apply concrete on some portion but it did not last.

We are always praying that this bridge will not give way at the joints and we are happy that they (government) have finally come and the bridge will now receive attention.”

One of them, who refused to give his name, said they disappeared when the governor came to inspect the bridge earlier in the day, and only regrouped thereafter.

They were the only soul close to the distressed side of the bridge, though few metres across the road, some businessmen have turned under the bridge into a recreation spot, where they sell beer and wines to patrons, who might want to catch fun amidst the traffic gridlock and bedlam around Iganmu and the neighbouring Abebe Village.

 

Traffic congestion

The partial closure of the bridge from Alaka ends inward Lagos Island further compounded the traffic situation resulting in serious gridlock that extended to Fadeyi, messing up traffic situation in the Surulere neighbourhood.

By 9 pm on Tuesday, officials of both the Federal Ministry of Works and Transportation had converged on the bridge for the emergency closure.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Adedamola Kuti, said the emergency closure was to prevent a total collapse of the bridge.

He said: “We are all here to close the Alaka to Costain portion of the Eko Bridge because some bearings are bad.

“We just discovered that the bearings are broken and we are here to shut it down for the overall safety of motorists.

“We are shutting down the bridge now so that we can carry out full investigations on the extent of damage to the bearings to begin the repairs.”

The Controller explained that only the Alaka flyover portion, from Alaka to Costain section of the Eko Bridge was bad, but from Costain Bus stop area, beside the National Theatre, the bridge is in good condition.

The Controller said the traffic regulatory agencies were on ground to ensure that the impact of the closure is minimised.

He advised motorists going to Lagos Island to connect the Eko Bridge through the service lane at Alaka, or go through Iponri to Costain Bus Stop area to connect the bridge.

He also advised the use of the National Theatre, as an alternative route to connect the Eko Bridge on the other side.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was one of the early callers to the Eko Bridge on Wednesday, where he expressed shock at the level of wear of the bearings of the bridge.

“You can see wide spaces in the expansion joints. We need to fix this quickly to avoid a major disaster. Our contractors are the original builder of the bridge, so it’s for us to take full precautionary measures; that is why we don’t want to take chances.”

The governor said LASTMA would come up with travel advice especially on alternative routes throughout the period that the closure would last.

Read Also: Sanwo-Olu implored to build bridge

 

He disclosed that plans are on to carry out an extensive audit of all bridges in the state, whether federal or state-owned to maintain those that may be classified as defective before they collapse.

“I can confirm that work is ongoing on Independence bridge, Falomo bridge and Surulere bridge. There are also plans to work on the Third Mainland Bridge and anywhere in the world where works like this are done, there is always a diversion.

“Lagos is a massive city that is why alternative means of transportation are provided. We have a traffic enforcement agency and if people can obey traffic officers and be patient, they can plan their journey.

“We will continue to inform people about the traffic situation. The traffic congestion will not be solved overnight, so people should obey traffic rules, it will ease movements on the road,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday announced alternative routes for motorists as the Federal Controller of Works, Mr. Adedamola Kuti, confirmed the closure of a section of Eko Bridge to enable rehabilitation works on worn-out bearings noticed between Alaka and Costain portion inwards Apongbon.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, on Wednesday, stated that the joint appraisal of the failed bridge by an Inter-ministerial technical team comprising officials from the Federal and State Ministries of Works and Infrastructure, Ministry of Transportation, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

Adeyoye said despite the inconvenience that may arise from the closure, the government resorted to taking the route of closure, to prevent a situation that could lead to loss of lives if the worn-out section of the bridge gives way.

“Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes announced by the Lagos State government for those heading to Lagos Island from Funsho Williams Avenue, through Iponri to Costain, connecting Eko Bridge through the National Theatre entry point.

“Motorists can also pass from Bode Thomas to Eric Moore Road and connect Abebe Village (Nigerian Breweries) to Costain and link their destination through national Theatre to Eko Bridge,” the travel advisory stated.

“Other alternative routes provided are from National Stadium to connect Shitta Roundabout, onward to Adeniran Ogunsanya Road, Bode Thomas, Eric Moore to Abebe Village (Nigerian Breweries) and Costain to link destination through Eko Bridge.

Motorists from Ojuelegba are also advised to ply Tejuoso through to Yaba, Murtala Mohammed Way to Oyingbo -Iddo -Otto to Idumota Bridge or Carter Bridge and connect their destination.

“Commuters from Agege Motor Road or Ikorodu Road should drive through Jibowu to connect Herbert Macaulay Way to Adekunle and 3rd Mainland Bridge towards Lagos Island or other destinations,” the statement added.

The government had earlier advised motorists to use alternative routes announced for those heading to Lagos Island from Funsho Williams Avenue through Iponri to Costain, connecting Eko Bridge through the National Theatre entry point.

“Motorists can also pass from Bode Thomas to Eric Moore Road and connect Abebe Village (Nigerian Breweries) to Costain and link their destination through National Theatre to Eko Bridge”, the travel advisory stated.

Other alternative routes provided are from National Stadium to connect Shitta Roundabout, onward to Adeniran Ogunsanya Road, Bode Thomas, Eric Moore to Abebe Village (Nigerian Breweries) and Costain to link destination through Eko Bridge.

Motorists from Ojuelegba are also advised to ply Tejuoso through to Yaba, Murtala Mohammed Way to Oyingbo -Iddo -Otto to Idumota Bridge or Carter Bridge and connect their destination.

Commuters from Agege Motor Road or Ikorodu Road should drive through Jibowu to connect Herbert Macaulay Way to Adekunle and 3rd Mainland Bridge towards Lagos Island or other destinations.