The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos Mr Olukayode Popoola has announced a 72-hour total closure on the Third Mainland Bridge to enable the contractor handling the rehabilitation cast concrete on the expansion joints.
Poopola, who spoke in Lagos on Tuesday said the closure will take effect from midnight on Saturday and would be completed on midnight of Tuesday. He said the closure is to ensure the completion of the expansion joints on additional three expansion joints.
“There is going to be total closure on the Third Mainland Bridge to enable the casting of concrete on the three expansion joints on the bridge on the Island bound lane. Effective date of the closure would be 12 midnight on December 25 to enable use the bridge on Christmas Day.
“We need about 72 hours for the concrete to set, therefore the opening will be midnight on December 28, that is the 72 hour closure. The joint rehabilitation is to prevent the vibration of the bridge. If we allow vehicles to be moving on one lane, there is going to be vibration and the concrete will not set properly,” the controller said.
Popoola also announced a 48 hours partial closure of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from December 28 to December 29, to complete work on the flyover bridge on the highway.
“The contractor Messrs Julius Berger want to install cross beams at kilometre 16, that is around MFM,” he said.
He said the piers were already standing in both sides of the road and was to lay the cross beam across the piers.
“That area would be cordoned off. We are going to close that section to traffic from midnight December 28 to 5.00pm the following day,” he said.
He appealed for the patience and understanding of all road users. “We regret all inconveniences these decisions would have on the traveling members of the public,” he said.