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Tag: Third Mainland Bridge

  • Third Mainland Bridge: Comprehensive rehabilitation begins November 1

    Third Mainland Bridge: Comprehensive rehabilitation begins November 1

    • By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie and Lydia Raji

    The Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, on Saturday said comprehensive rehabilitation of the 11.8-kilometer Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos would begin on Nov. 1 for three months. Umahi said this during an inspection of the under deck, lagoon sections of the Third Mainland Bridge, and other bridges.

    The Nation reports that Umahi 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.

    Umahi also inspected the deteriorating Marina shoreline, the failing portions of the Five Cowries Bridge located inside Zone Two Police Headquarters in Onikan, Ijora Bridge, and Marina Bridge in Apapa.

    He said the entire stretch of the Third Mainland Bridge would undergo total resurfacing with minimal discomfort to road users, and the repairs would be carried out by midnight during the weekend.

    He said he carried out an inspection of the top surface of the bridge on Friday before embarking on an inspection of the Lagoon portions. The minister explained that patching 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 asphaltic covering.

    “We are going to mill out the excess asphalt and retain only two millimeters,” he said.

    The minister said the proposed maintenance of Third Mainland Bridge, which would last three months was the first phase meant to secure the integrity as well as aesthetics of the upper deck components of the bridge.

    He explained that the maintenance of the aesthetics would include the replacement of the railings, the installation of solar-powered lights and CCTV cameras for optimal security of the bridge.

    Read Also: Alternative routes as Third Mainland Bridge shuts down for 24hrs

    The minister assured that the three-month maintenance work would be without discomfort to motorists, as it would take place only between midnight and 4.00 a.m. and during weekends.

    He added that more than one contractor would be engaged due to the emergency nature of the work, which would end in Phase Four; which will entail the repairs of deflected slabs, bearings, piers, and pile caps.

    The minister lamented that most of the bridges were about 60 years old and had outlived their design lifespan, hence the need for constant rehabilitation. Umahi, who is a civil engineer, said the Marina Shoreline had deteriorated and was threatening the foundation of some parts of the Blue Rail Line, hence the need for urgent protection that had begun.

    “Marina shoreline is gone,” he said. The minister warned that henceforth a 10-year maintenance responsibility would be attached to projects for contractors to bear repair costs within the period if the road failed.

    He added that contractors who constructed roads that failed within two years risked jail terms in line with global practices to curb shoddy constructions.

    Recall that the Third Mainland Bridge was earlier closed for 24-hour repairs from midnight on Oct. 21 to midnight on Oct. 22 for emergency resurfacing of some bad portions.

  • Alternative routes as Third Mainland Bridge shuts down for 24hrs

    Alternative routes as Third Mainland Bridge shuts down for 24hrs

    The Federal Government has announced closure of the Third Mainland Bridge from midnight of Saturday, Oct. 21 to midnight of Sunday Oct. 22 for repairs. 

    Of recent, different sections of one of the busiest roads in the country have been riddled with potholes, constituting a nightmare to drivers. 

    Motorists have since raised concerns over the deplorable state of the bridge. The bridge is the longest among the three bridges that connect Lagos Island with Mainland. 

    The bridge starts from the Oworonshoki end of the Mainland and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.

    Read Also: Potholes endanger motorists on Third Mainland Bridge

    From the beginning of the bridge to its end, potholes are on both lanes with more noticeable ones around the Obalende to Adekunle stretch. They are also noticeable while approaching the bridge from Ebute Meta.

    Motorists have been encouraged to use alternative routes where possible during the period of the palliative works as the Adeniji bound of the bridge will be closed to traffic.

    The routes inward the Lagos Island are: Iddo inwards Carter Bridge, Market Road inwards Herbert Macaulay Road and Herbert Macaulay Road by Abeokuta Street, as well as Herbert Macaulay by Cemetery and Apapa Road inwards Oyingbo. 

    Here are diversion routes for commuters:

    1. Motorists from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Alapere/Ogudu axis inwards Lagos Island will be diverted towards Gbagada-Oshodi expressway to link Ikorodu road/Funsho Williams Avenue to access Eko bridge and Lagos Island. 

    2. Motorists from Lagos mainland going through Herbert Macaulay road (Adekunle axis) inwards Lagos Island via the third mainland bridge will be diverted towards Muritala Mohammed Way to make use of Carter bridge to link Lagos Island.

    3. Also, the vast Lagos lagoon delicately links the metropolis; hence water transportation is a good alternative. It is fast, convenient and safe. Motorists may want to explore the use of Jetty.

  • Omoni Oboli, crew stuck on Third mainland bridge

    Nollywood actress Omoni Oboli who is currently shooting her new movie, Love is War, shared how she and her crew got stuck on the popular Third mainland bridge, Lagos, in the middle of the night while shooting.

    The producer made it known around 3:06am that they were headed back home from set, but had a flat tire.

    “Still stuck on 3rd mainland bridge. We had a flat tire (in short the tire is completely gone) but can’t change the tire because we need a special Lexus L and Key spanner. If you have, pls reach out. We are smack in the middle of 3rd mainland bridge. We have called Lagos State Emergency service and they said they’ll come but…

    “Reach out if you have a towing can or can reach one,” she pleaded.

    To put her fans at rest, the posted at about 7am on the current situation. Saying she was home.

    “It’s around 7am and I’m home guys!!! Praise God! We got a towing van to just tow it to the dealership I use for services. I’m going to take a shower and head right back to set because we have a HUGE shoot day! I’ll try to steal naps in between set ups! I’m exhausted out of my mind but it’s what it is, the show must go on! Thank God for safety, thank you guys for the prayers and love.”

    Love is War, which portrays the actress/producer as a lady politician had her revealing she is passionate about Nigeria and really wish she could serve politically.

  • Omoni Oboli, crew stuck on Third mainland bridge

    nollywood actress Omoni Oboli who is currently shooting her new movie, Love is War, shared how she and her crew got stuck on the popular Third mainland bridge, Lagos, in the middle of the night while shooting.

    The producer made it known around 3:06am that they were headed back home from set, but had a flat tire.

    “Still stuck on 3rd mainland bridge. We had a flat tire (in short the tire is completely gone) but can’t change the tire because we need a special Lexus L and Key spanner. If you have, pls reach out. We are smack in the middle of 3rd mainland bridge. We have called Lagos State Emergency service and they said they’ll come but…

    “Reach out if you have a towing can or can reach one,” she pleaded.

    To put her fans at rest, the posted at about 7am on the current situation. Saying she was home.

    “It’s around 7am and I’m home guys!!! Praise God! We got a towing van to just tow it to the dealership I use for services. I’m going to take a shower and head right back to set because we have a HUGE shoot day! I’ll try to steal naps in between set ups! I’m exhausted out of my mind but it’s what it is, the show must go on! Thank God for safety, thank you guys for the prayers and love.”

    Love is War, which portrays the actress/producer as a lady politician had her revealing she is passionate about Nigeria and really wish she could serve politically.

  • Much ado about Third Mainland Bridge

    With a length of 11.8km, the 20-year-old Third Mainland Bridge is the longest in Lagos. Few days ago, the social media was abuzz with news of the danger posed by the bridge’s weak joints. The government allayed such fears and after a check, engineers gave the bridge a clean bill. They, however, recommended regular maintenance of other highway structures across the country, writes OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

    The news on the social media was startling: Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos is unsafe for use. No thanks to its weak joints.

    Like most bridges, the 20 year-old Third Mainland, has expansion joints aimed at mitigating the impact of movements or vibrations on road users. When these joints are weak or distressed, they cause discomforts, fear and trepidation an even deaths.

    A bridge’s expansion joints are designed to absorb temperature, contraction of construction materials, vibration, hold parts or allow movements between two components or sections.

    The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) recently toured the bridge to ascertain its status, especially the controversial expansion joints. At the end of the tour, it gave it a clean bill of health.

    In an interview, the NICE Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Mrs. Adetona Omolola, affirned that the team the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing (FMWP&H) carried out an integrity test on the bridge last August.

    She said it observed that the expansion joint, which had caused a lot of fear among road users, was due for replacement.

    Mrs Adetona said they were, however, assured by the Federal Controller of Works (Lagos), Mr. Adedamola Kuti,  who conducted the team round, that the materials for the repairs would soon arrive to enable them do the work. He allayed apprehensions on the safety of the bridge.

    She assured that in furtherance of the need to ascertain the integrity of the bridge, the Federal Ministry of Works also undertook underwater investigations of the foundation, which results were being awaited.

    The NICE chair revealed that the planned maintenance of the bridge  was on course.

    She, however, advised that all highway structures in the country should be subjected to planned or scheduled maintenance to ensure their fitness, in accordance with best international practice.

    Mrs Adetona said NICE affirmed that the Third Mainland Bridge is still structurally safe, insisting that the public had nothing to fear.

    She said: “We use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to expedite action on the repairs or total replacement of other identified faulty expansion joints on the bridge to avert further deterioration and ensure guaranteed safe vehicular movements on the structure.”

    Also, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing insisted that the  Third Mainland Bridge is safe. It debunks the social medium, which spread the fear.

    In a statement, ministry said: “The  public is hereby informed that the expansion joint shown in the social media is one of those slated for change during repairs on the bridge, which will commence soon. It is still functioning and our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge and it is safe for use. Tests done on the expansion joints then — called static and dynamic load tests — were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then.”

    The statement further stated that in March, underwater confirmatory tests preceding the repairs, were carried out on the piles to determine if there were further deterioration or not on the piles from that done in 2013.

    The statement stressed that all the tests done preparatory to the closure of the bridge to kick off comprehensive maintenance indicate that the integrity of the bridge is intact.

  • ‘Lagos Third Mainland Bridge safe for use’

    The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has certified the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge safe for use.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the ministry explained that the expansion joint shown in a social media video clip was one of those scheduled for change during repairs on the bridge.

    It said the repairs on the bad portion of the Bridge would commence soon.

    The statement reads: “The general public is hereby informed that the expansion joint shown in a Facebook video clip is one of those slated for change during repairs on the Third Mainland Bridge, which will commence soon.

    “It is still functioning, and our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge; it is safe to use.

    “Commuters and Lagos residents will recall that the Third Mainland Bridge was shut down for a three-day investigative maintenance in August 2018. Tests done on the expansion joints then – called static and dynamic load tests – were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then.”

    It added: “More recently, in March, this year, underwater confirmatory tests preceding the repair works to be done on the bridge were carried out on the piles to determine if there was further deterioration or not on the piles from that done in 2013.

    “However, all the tests done preparatory to closure of the bridge to commence comprehensive maintenance works indicate that the integrity of the bridge is intact.

    “Therefore, the Third Mainland Bridge is safe for use, and people should desist from spreading or sharing false information about the bridge on social media platforms.”

    On the nature of the repairs, the ministry said: “The expansion joints to be replaced are part of a regular bridge maintenance programme that has been neglected for decades, which the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is now addressing frontally on many bridges nationwide.

    “Such maintenance works include resurfacing of the bridge, along with several others, which this administration is also undertaking as the bridge users will attest to a better driving surface.”

  • Fashola certifies third mainland bridge safe for use

    The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has certified the third mainland bridge safe for use.

    The minister in a statement in Abuja on Sunday by the ministry stated that the expansion joint shown in a social media video clip was one of those scheduled for change during repairs to the bridge.

    He also added that the repairs of the bad portion of the Bridge would commence soon.

    The statement reads: “The General Public is hereby informed that the expansion joint shown in a Facebook video clip, is one of those slated for change during repairs to the Third Mainland Bridge which will commence soon.

    “It is still functioning and our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge and it is safe to use.

    “Commuters and Lagos residents will recall that the Third Mainland Bridge was shut down for a 3-day Investigative Maintenance in August 2018. Tests done on the expansion joints then – called static and dynamic load tests – were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then.”

    Read Also: Fashola: we can’t cover every road in Nigeria

    It continues: “More recently, in March this year, underwater confirmatory tests preceding the repair works to be done on the bridge, were carried out on the piles to determine if there is further deterioration or not on the piles from that done in 2013.

    “However, all the tests done preparatory to closure of the Bridge to commence comprehensive Maintenance works indicate that the integrity of the Bridge is intact.

    “Therefore the third mainland bridge is safe for use, and people should desist from spreading or sharing false information about the bridge on social media platforms.”

    On the nature of the repairs, he said: “The expansion joints to be replaced are part of a regular bridge maintenance programme that has been neglected for decades which the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is now addressing frontally on many bridges nationwide.

    “Such maintenance works include resurfacing of the bridge, along with several others, which this administration is also undertaking as the bridge users will attest to a better driving surface.”

  • FG reopens Apapa/Leventis Bridge

    …pledges repairs on Third Mainland Bridge

    After closure for over one year, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing on Wednesday reopened the Apapa/Leventis Bridge to traffic.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the bridge was closed for emergency repairs in August 2016 after a portion of the bridge deck damaged by fire caved in.

    Some of the reinforcement rods on top of the bridge’s centre had become exposed as the asphalt covering them had been eroded.

    It was re-opened to light traffic after the emergency repairs and later shut in 2017.

    The permanent repairs began in 2018 after Julius Berger, the contractor on the project, imported some materials to aid the repairs.

    The 40-year-old bridge links Nigeria’s premier port to both the Lagos Mainland and Island.

    While performing the tape cutting ceremony to open the bridge, the Director Highways, South West, Mr Funsho Adebiyi said that the opening would ease gridlock on the Apapa axis.

    “It is my pleasure to open this bridge in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Today we are having a new bridge as well as a new access road. So, hopefully gridlock will end here,” he said.

    He said that government was going to take drastic action against all forms of abuses that would cause damage to bridges in Lagos.

    The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti said that the bridge was damaged in 2016 due to “activities of some miscreants living under the bridge’’.

    “When the contractor came on board and removed the slab, that is the deck that got damaged, we discovered that the beams carrying the weight of the slab itself had been affected by the fire.

    “So, there was no way we could go ahead with the replacement of the slab, other than for us to start from the beams. So we had to produce new distress beams, and then, of course, the slabs.

    “And we have also done the surfacing of the other adjoining slab close to the damaged one,’’ he said.

    He thanked residents for their patience during the period of closure of the bridge and pledged Federal Government’s commitment to continued maintenance of all the roads and bridges in Lagos.

    He listed bridges that had been repaired to include the Marine Beach Bridge, Coconut Bridge and Ijora 7Up Bridge.

    Read also: 2019 polls: FG will cooperate with international observers, Says Presidency

    He added that work was ongoing on the Alaka Bridge in Surulere and the Third Mainland Bridge.

    He further explained that repair works were ongoing on Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta, Lagos-Ibadan, Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressways and some other federal roads in the metropolise.

    Kuti said that materials for total rehabilitation of the Third Mainland bridge had been imported and that permanent repair works would soon begin on some damaged expansion joints alongside the ongoing rehabilitation of the bridge.

    “We have completed the Adeniji Adele bound, we are working on the Mainland bound. So the repair works on the Third Mainland will start very soon because our materials are on the way,’’ he said.

    Speaking on the newly installed beams on the Apapa/Leventis Bridge, Mr Thomas Balzuweit, Julius Berger’s Regional Manager, said that experts were used to get “a comprehensive design study to get high quality materials“.

    Balzuweit added that various quality control checks were done before installing the beams to ensure structural integrity of the bridge to cater for the huge vehicular traffic on the axis.

    Alhaji Wasiu Olowuntoye, President, Container Truck Owners Association, who led a delegation of truck drivers to witness the opening, said that the hardship to truck owners would be minimized.

    “We are happy today because our members have suffered so much, they spend several days and sometimes weeks trying to go in or out of the ports but with this bridge opened, there will be good for traffic flow,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • FG begins rehabilitation of Third mainland bridge

    To ensure a hitch free Xmas movement, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, has embarked on the milling and resurfacing of the Third mainland Bridge.

    At an inspection of the work, the federal controller of works, Engineer Adedamola Kuti, said it is part of a maintenance exercise to keep the over 25 year old bridge in tip top condition. He said anytime from January, renovation work will begin on the under water repair of the piles.
    Similarly, Kuti said the expansion joint repairs will ALAO commence in the early part of next year.
    The milling and resurfacing work, which was not part of the original contract for the renovation of the bridge, Kuti explained, is to ensure safe driving on the bridge.
    The Project Manager, RCC, Dvir Hirsch, the challenge for the project borders on traffic and safety to ensure faster delivery of the job.

  • Man who jumped into Lagos lagoon identified as FRCN staff

    The man who got drown after he reportedly jumped into the lagoon in Lagos on Friday has been identified as a staff of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

    A staff of FRCN, who pleaded anonymity, said that the deceased was a driver attached to an Assistant Director in charge of Information Communication Technology unit of the corporation.

    The source said that the deceased was newly posted from the FRCN Training School located in Shogunle to the Broadcasting House in Ikoyi, Lagos

    The source, however, described him as a gentleman.

    Tunji Disu, Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), told NAN that his men got to the scene almost immediately and invited marine police and local divers who recovered the corpse from the lagoon.

    “The deceased parked the vehicle he was driving on the Third Mainland Bridge and told other occupants of the vehicle that he wanted to urinate

    Read Also: Man admits using bottle to tear another’s face

    “The occupants were shocked as he dived into the lagoon,” said RSS Commander, Disu, Assistant Commissioner of Police. RRS had earlier tweeted on its tweeter handle @rrslagos767: “A man has jumped into the Lagoon from 3rd Mainland Bridge.

    “RRS riders got to the scene almost immediately and radioed for assistance from the Marine Police, LASG rescue Boats & local divers who recovered the corpse.

    “The remains have been taken to Ebute Ero division.’’

    NAN recalls that on Oct. 3, 2018, a middle-aged man drowned after reportedly jumping into the lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge inwards Lagos Island.