The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, on Wednesday said ongoing replacement of bearings and expansion joints on the Marine Beach Bridge in Apapa would be completed ahead of scheduled delivery date.
Popoola, while supervising the lifting up of the beams of some sections of the bridge, said that the project, which began in May, had recorded 30 per cent completion so as to deliver it ahead of schedule.
“They (contractor) are supposed to have changed 36 bearings but as at today, they have changed about 60. So we are ahead of time because they were supposed to achieve that target by end of August.
“So, by that August, they will be laying asphalt on top of the bridge so we are ahead of the scheduled time.
“We are working on the Apapa bound lane now and after completion we will now change to another lane, we are working section by section,’’ he said.
He explained that the first section, which is about 200 metres, would be completed by August for repairs to move to another section, adding that the work would be completed in March 2021.
He said that the bearings and expansion joints were worn out and had become dangerous for use, hence, the need to lift up the bridge to repair the base and some components.
“We are using the self propelling machine to lift the bridge. We are doing replacement of the expansion joints and the bearings that have worn out,” he said.
He appealed for understanding and cooperation of motorists to ensure speedy completion of the project.
He raised alarm over removal of crash barriers used to barricade damaged Alaka Bridge linking Eko Bridge by unknown persons to allow traffic, thereby risking lives of road users.
He also lamented indiscriminate parking of articulated vehicles on bridges causing damage to the bridges and appealed for a change of attitude.
“Government is trying to do its best to make sure that all these structures get the proper maintenance to sustain the serviceability of these bridges in Lagos,’’ he said.
He said that ongoing work on the Alaka linking Eko Bridge would be completed in three months and the bridge would be reopened to traffic.
He said that the Federal Government carried out periodic repairs of bridges and reminded road users of the planned partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for such maintaince on Friday.
He listed various alternative routes that had been fixed to avert gridlock to reduce hardship to road users.
The controller appealed for understanding of road users during the ongoing repair of bridges in the state.
Mr Kaadi Ghassan, project manager, Buildwell Plants and Equipment Industries Ltd., contractors on the project, said bad materials were being peeled off and being replaced.
“We’re removing all the damaged concrete from the pier, the rust from the steel and we lift it up again.
Some need skin repairs all the way from foundation to the top,” Ghassan said.
