Lagos residents have been asking this question. It has been like forever since the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge was closed for some maintenance repairs to be carried out on it.
The Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos is probably the most used bridge in Nigeria. The closure of the bridge since July 24, 2020, has brought untold suffering to many Lagosians who had to deal with long hours of massive traffic while commuting to and fro work.
So how long will the Third Mainland Bridge stay closed?
There is good news. The 6-month maintenance project being done on the Third Mainland Bridge is fast nearing its end. As at the time of publishing this post, we learned repairs on the outward lane of the bridge have been completed.
Workers have now moved to the inward Adeniji lane and a source familiar with the maintenance project told DNB Stories that this phase of the project will not take as much time as the first phase which involved fixing of six expansion joints on the Oworonshoki-bound carriageway.
The maintenance repair on this section basically entails removing the old joints and bearing supports and replacing them with new ones, we were told. Other aspects of the repairs will be less complicated.
Based on the information gathered by DNB Stories, the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will finally be opened on January ending, 2021, or at the most first week of February.
How to manage the Ikorodu Road traffic
The closure of the Third Mainland Bridge has put more pressure on Ikorodu Road as it has become the alternative lane used by motorists coming to and fro the Island.
There is usually sustained heavy traffic on Ikorodu Road since the Third Mainland Bridge was closed.
Here are a few things you can do to manage the traffic:
a. Leave early
Leaving your house between the hours of 5 and 6 am in the morning will greatly help you to avoid the Ikorodu gridlock. As long as safety is not compromised, leaving the house early is recommended.
b. Reduce driving
If it is not absolutely necessary, then you can leave your car behind and use other means of movement. If less people drove, then the traffic situation will get better. A compound of several people going towards the same direction can use one person’s car and it can be rotated the next day.
c. Obey all traffic rules
This is definitely not the time to drive irresponsibly as the roads are busier than usual. You will help yourself and other road users as well if you always comply with the traffic signs and respect the officials on duty when on the road.
d. Practice road safety
The roads are busy and anything can happen at any time. Make sure all your safety gadgets are intact and working, in case of any eventuality. Fix your mirrors and be sure your safety belts are working and always strapped on when you are driving. Have a razor as well in case anything happens and you need to cut yourself free. You might not be directly involved but you can always help someone out too.
DNB Stories wishes safety and happiness this season.
