The government, last week, announced the closure of the Marine Beach Bridge for emergency repairs, but since then, the road is yet to be shut nor have the repairs commenced.
This delay, according to the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Kayode Popoola, is due to the persistent rains.
People noted that efforts to patch the adjoining roads to the bridge to avert gridlock are being frustrated by the rains, as the repair works are being washed off by the flood.
He, however assured that the repairs will be completed this week to provide alternate routes for road users so that the bridge can be closed for work to begin.
“We will complete the repairs and close the bridge anytime this week to begin work on it, I cannot tell you if it is Monday or Tuesday but I am sure it will be this week. We have to ensure the adjoining roads are in good condition to take traffic before we close any part of the bridge,’’ he said in an interview with NAN.
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Popoola said that the repair of the Marine Beach Bridge kicks off the “systematic maintenance of all bridges in Lagos’’, adding that the federal government has awarded the contracts for repairs of the Third Mainland, Ijora 7Up and Marine Beach Bridges, while that of Eko Bridge was undergoing procurement for the award.
He noted that the government has a schedule to fix all bridges in Lagos State in batches this year, as all bridges could not be shut at the same time for repairs.
“There is going to be systematic maintenance, we will change the rubbers of the expansion joints and anyone that the metal is bad. We are going to replace bearings on expansion joints that are worn out, that is the systematic program that we have this year” he explained.
He explained further that the de-silting of weep holes on Long Bridge along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is ongoing to avert floods as the rains become more serious.
“We are also removing garbage from manholes so that all our drainages will function very well. We are currently cleaning manholes on Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki Road, Globatek (contractor) is working on it to address major problems of flooding on that road,’’ he said.
He added that vandals were stealing manhole covers and that plans are on to replace the covers with concrete that cannot be easily removed. He appealed to Nigerians to avoid disposing of garbage in the drainage and manholes, as this could be the easiest way to block the waterways and cause floods.