Third Mainland Bridge Fully Opened

28 Feb Third Mainland Bridge Fully Opened

The Federal Government has finally reopened the Third Mainland Bridge, the country’s busiest and longest bridge.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola announced the reopening in a tweet, bringing to a close the seven-month repair work carried out on the bridge built in 1990.

Fashola wrote: “Third Mainland Bridge rehab completed. Fully opens to traffic at 12noon today. Thank you all for your patience. Drive safely.”

The opening came earlier than the 12 midnight that authorities during the week announced the bridge would remain closed through Saturday, to allow workmen to clear the bridge of debris and crash barriers.

Workers put finishing touches to asphalt laying on some sections before the main opening with a huge crowd of Lagos spectators watching.

Supervising the reopening at exactly 11:54 am on Saturday, the Director, Highway Bridges and Design, Emmanuel Adeoye, said that work on the surface of the bridge had been completed but additional work would continue underneath; adding that several expansion joints bearings were fixed.

Adeoye said: “We have done a lot of rehabilitation works on the superstructure and the bridge is fit for use now and we are set to open it, that is why we are here.

“The superstructure was the main part we have been working on; now we are going to work on the substructure and the foundations much later, but that does not affect the flow of traffic.

“Traffic can be flowing and we can be doing our work under the water quietly. We are opening the bridge now because it is fit for use now.