Press Releases

LASG To Commence Repair Work On Ogudu–Alapere Bridge

Dec 16, 2008 - Few months after it completed repair works on two major link bridges – 3rd Mainland and Eko bridges linking the Lagos Island with the mainland, the Lagos State Government has again concluded plans to repair the Ogudu – Alapere Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The repair works, which will begin on Saturday, December 28, 2008 and end on February 18, 2009, will involve the repair of the two viaducts on the Lagos -Ibadan side and the three viaducts on the Ibadan – Lagos side of the Expressway.

The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ganiyu Johnson, who disclosed this while briefing Government House Correspondents at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, said that the repair works had become expedient because the viaducts were presently distressed.

Johnson, who was accompanied to the briefing by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Opeyemi Bamidele, the Special Adviser on Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and the Chief Executive Officer of LASTMA, Mr. Young Arebamen, however, said the Expressway would not be closed at anytime during the seven weeks duration of the repairs.

According to the Special Adviser, “The work programme of the repairs is to be carried out mainly at night in order not to disrupt the flow of traffic as well as reduce the level of inconvenience to be encountered by motorists”, adding that the works would be carried out between 5. 00 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. daily.

“The State Government intends to take advantage of the weekends, specifically Sundays, where it intends to carry out a full day’s job, unlike other days where work will only be carried out at night”, Johnson said, adding that traffic would only be partially reduced to one lane on the main carriageway.

He declared, “The road will not be closed. The Lagos State Government, in our usual responsive and considerate characteristic manner, has put in a lot of pain-relieving measures in place to reduce to the barest minimum any pain to be experienced by motorists.

Some of these measures, the Special Adviser said, include, an aggressive and sustained public enlightenment campaign, adequate directional signs and motorists’ guide, adequate lightings and illumination signs at might to aid safe driving and effective control and management system.

Johnson, who pointed out that the road belongs to the Federal Government, said the State Government was doing it as a responsive and responsible Government and assure Lagosians that the Federal Government was also addressing the Eko, Ijora and Independent bridges which he said were part of the six critical bridges in the State.

Noting that there has been growing public concerns and apprehension over the state of some bridges nationwide with Lagos not being an exception, Johnson further declared, “The case of Lagos is quite peculiar as the former seat of the nation’s capital as well as the economic nerve centre of Nigeria which has a large number of these bridges located in the State.

He, however, regretted that with the movement of the Federal capital to Abuja, “little or nothing has indeed been done by the relevant agency of government to maintain these bridges”, recalling the repair works carried out recently on the 3rd Mainland Bridge through the collaborative effort of the Federal and Lagos State Government as well as the similar work carried out on Eko Bridge a few months ago.

Also speaking at the briefing, Barrister Bamidele appealed to Lagosians for cooperation during the period of the repair works, adding that the Bourdillon Road in Ikoyi was now motorable as the contractor handling it had completed its work.

Warning motorists of the State Government’s zero tolerance of traffic offences on the road under repairs, the Commissioner declared, “The Governor has directed LASTMA officials, through the Ministry of Transportation, to deal with those who contravene traffic regulations on the road”.