The Federal government of Nigeria has assured the nation’s motorists that they could travel on the Lagos third Mainland bridge without worry.
The government gave this assurance in a statement released on Sunday, in response to the expansion joint shown in a Facebook video clip recently, which gave an impression that the bridge was unsafe for use.
According to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the expansion effort is one of those slated for change during repairs to the Bridge, which will commence soon.
“It is still functioning,” it explained. “And our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge and it is safe to use.”
Commuters and Lagos residents will recall that the Third Mainland Bridge was shut down for a 3-day Investigative Maintenance in August 2018. Tests done on the expansion joints then – called static and dynamic load tests – were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then.
More recently, in March this year, underwater confirmatory tests (video attached) preceding the repair works to be done on the Bridge, were carried out on the piles to determine if there is further deterioration or not on the piles from that done in 2013.
However, according to the Ministry, all the tests done preparatory to closure of the Bridge to commence comprehensive Maintenance works indicate that the integrity of the Bridge is intact.
“Therefore,” it stressed, “the Third Mainland Bridge is safe for use, and people should desist from spreading or sharing false information about the Bridge on Social Media platforms.
“The expansion joints to be replaced are part of a regular bridge maintenance programme that has been neglected for decades which the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is now addressing frontally on many bridges nationwide. Such maintenance works include resurfacing of the Bridge, along with several others, which this administration is also undertaking as the bridge users will attest to a better driving surface.”
