Sanwo-Olu seeks Lagosians’ cooperation on Eko Bridge closure

TRACKING____Lagos residents have been enjoined to bear with the Federal and state government on the discomfort caused by the closure Eko Bridge and other major road rehabilitations across the state.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the appeal while addressing journalists after inspecting the failed portion of the bridge.

Sources said the bridge was in a precarious state and could collapse unexpectedly because some portions of the bridge had failed.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke alongside the Federal Controller of Works, Mr. Adedamola Kuti, said the rehabilitation was to avert disaster resulting from the deplorable state of the bridge.

The governor said that it became necessary to close a section of the bridge in order not to endanger the lives of commuters using the bridge, pending commencement of repairs.

He explained that the need to ensure proper overhauling on some roads was to ensure that after rehabilitation, the roads and bridges would span between 30 and 40 years without maintenance.

The governor urged Lagos residents to plan their journeys, obey traffic rules and regulations, while assuring them of prompt and adequate sharing of real time information.

Sanwo-Olu, who assured Lagos residents that both the state and Federal Ministries of Work would expedite action to repair the defects, said the affected portion of the bridge was from the Alaka end to the Costain area.

He said the precautionary measure was necessary to ensure safety and appealed to residents to plan their journey time, obey traffic control officers, including the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), who had already been deployed, pending the commencement and completion of the repair works.

He said: “Safety is the paramount thing; that is why we don’t want to leave anything to chance.”

These are bridges that are not made for us to have dead weight on them, all the heavy trucks and containers parked on them, they are not designed for such usage, so obey traffic officers, once you do that, it would ease movement on the road. Our journey time would be affected a little bit, but like we have said, we’ll continue to look for how we’ll provide alternatives, both on the roads and other means of transportation.”

Sanwo-Olu, who also spoke about the ongoing reconstruction of the Ojota portion of the Ikorodu Road, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and other parts of the state, said the maintenance of the roads was necessary particularly because of the heavy vehicular traffic on them.

He advised commuters to bear the temporary discomfort as the roads would last up to 40-50 years after the current maintenance work.

Also, the Federal Controller of Works, Kuti, spoke on why the portion of the Eko Bridge was hurriedly shut down.

The controller said it was discovered that one of the bearings on the affected portion was broken and was already affecting the piers which led to the decision to shut off the worn out portion.

He said: “We just discovered that the bearings are gone especially on this particular pier. The bearings are broken and we are having problems with the bridge deck. As a matter of fact, the bridge is no longer safe for public use, so, pending further detailed investigation and an assessment of this particular bearing and others, then, we’ll be able to now give you further information about what we shall do, but for now, the bridge is not safe for public use.”

Already, the closure has affected commuting from Ojuelegba and other parts of Surulere as motorists, most of who were caught unawares, tried to navigate their ways from the point of restriction to link Costain through Iponri before connecting Eko Bridge through the National Theatre entry point.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has announced alternative routes for motorists.

Motorists plying Eko Bridge from the Mainland are advised to use alternative routes to link Lagos Island.

A travel advisory issued by the Special Adviser to the governor on Works, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye, states that motorists can pass Bode Thomas to Eric Moore Road and connect Abebe Village (Nigerian Breweries) to Costain and link their destination through National Theatre to Eko Bridge.

Other alternative routes provided are from National Stadium through 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 to connect their destination, while 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.