Press Releases

LASG Commends Lagosians For Support During Third Mainland Bridge Partial Closure

Sep 27, 2008 - The Lagos State Government on Saturday commended the people of Lagos for the support displayed for the Babatunde Fashola administration during the eight weeks repairs of some defective joints on the Third Mainland Bridge.

The commendation was made by the State Commissioner for Transportation, Professor Bamidele Badejo who addressed newsmen at Alausa along with Special Adviser on Transportation, Hon Kayode Opeifa, Federal Controller of Works in the South West, Engineer Babatunde Ekusunmi and representatives of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Police.

He said the success recorded on the repair works and the successful management of traffic during the period is a manifestation of a team work among all the agencies such as the Federal and Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and Works, the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Police.

Prof Bamidele Badejo, reiterated that the Third Mainland Bridge which was partially closed on August 2, 2008 would be reopened to the public at 12 midnight of September 28, 2008.

The Commissioner added that with the completion of the first phase of repairs on the Third Mainland Bridge, the Federal Government should consider the immediate commencement of work on other such bridges and roads in the state needing rehabilitation.

He added that these request formed part of his meeting with the Minister of Transportation in Abuja a few days ago.

Also speaking, the South West Controller of Works, Engineer Babatunde Ekunsumi informed that special budgetary allocations would be made in the 2009 Budget estimates for the rehabilitation of the second phase of the Third Mainland Bridge

The controller disclosed that eight other expansion joints had been identified on the Third Mainland bridge aside the four that had just been fixed and would be fixed from 2009 budgetary allocations to the ministry.

Ekunsumi stated that the rehabilitation would entail scarification, asphalting, lighting, lane markings of the bridge from Adekunle end to Oworonshoki and the Adekunle to Idumagbo end.

He also stated that the five burnt bridges within the state were been looked into for rehabilitation adding that squatters under them would be evacuated before the rehabilitation commences.

He accused the squatters of being responsible for the fire outbreaks that gutted the bridges hence the need to dislodge them and guide against future damages.

Ekunsumi commended the collaboration between the Lagos State and Federal Government leading to the speedy completion of the repairs on this bridge, advising that the best way to go about such projects is for states to get consent of the Federal Government through its supervising agency before commencing the repairs.