The minister reassured drivers that the three-month maintenance project wouldn’t cause them any inconvenience because it would only happen on weekends and between midnight and four in the morning.
On Saturday, Mr. David Umahi, the Minister of Works, said that a three-month period of thorough restoration of the 11.8-kilometer Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos would start on November 1.
Umahi made this statement while inspecting the Third Mainland Bridge’s underdeck and lagoon portions, among other bridges.
Umahi, a group of engineers, Federal Ministry of Works directors, and journalists examined the Third Mainland, Carter, Independence, and Falomo Bridges’ lagoon sections.
Umahi also examined Apapa’s Marina Bridge.
He stated that all of the Third Mainland Bridge’s resurfacing would be completed by midnight on the weekend with the least amount of inconvenience to drivers.
The minister stated that on Friday, he inspected the bridge’s upper surface before moving on to assess the areas that surround the lagoon.
The minister clarified that the need to remove and replace the whole asphaltic covering of the bridge resulted from mending different areas of its top surface, which caused the surfacing to become uneven and unsafe.
He declared, “We’re going to mill out the extra asphalt and keep only two millimetres.”
The minister stated that the three-month planned maintenance of the Third Mainland Bridge was the initial step in ensuring the structural stability and aesthetic appeal of the bridge’s top deck elements.
He clarified that in order to maintain the bridge’s aesthetic appeal, CCTV cameras, solar-powered lighting, and railing replacement will all be installed for maximum security.
The minister reassured drivers that the three-month maintenance project wouldn’t cause them any inconvenience because it would only happen on weekends and between midnight and four in the morning.
He continued by saying that because the job was urgent, multiple contractors would be hired. Phase Four would involve fixing deflection slabs, bearings, piers, and pile caps.
The minister bemoaned the fact that continual rehabilitation was required because the majority of the bridges were over 60 years old and had outlived their intended lifespan.
Umahi, a civil engineer, stated that immediate protection was required since the Marina Shoreline had deteriorated and was endangering the foundation of several sections of the Blue Rail Line.
He declared, “Marina shoreline is gone.”
The minister issued a warning, saying that going forward, projects would have a 10-year maintenance obligation, during which time contractors would be required to pay for repairs if a road failed.
In accordance with international standards to discourage subpar building, he said, contractors who built roads that collapsed after two years ran the prospect of going to jail.
The Third Mainland Bridge was previously shut down for emergency resurfacing of some damaged sections from midnight on October 21 to midnight on October 22.
