Given the high premium the Lagos State Government attaches to safety of lives of the people and considering the strategic importance of the ever-busy pedestrian bridge at Alapere/Estate Bus-Stop on the Third Axial Road, the state government today assured immediate commencement of construction works on the damaged bridge
During a visit to inspect the extent of damage to the bridge by a team comprising Lagos State government officials from the Ministry of Transportation, Office of Infrastructure, Material Testing Laboratory, and Public Works Corporation to ascertain the level of damage to the bridge, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said while the ascent to the bridge had already been cordoned off, more traffic personnel would be deployed to stop the traffic intermittently for pedestrians to pass, adding that in addition, there would be visual display at night for pedestrian safety.
He added that signages and visual displays would be put in place to alert pedestrians and other commuters as contingency measures while investigations continued and the repair works lasted.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engineer Olufemi Daramola, said an assessment of the bridge would be immediately carried out to enable the conduct of integrity tests on the substructure, determine the extent of damage and ascertain the level of reconstruction works to be carried out on the bridge to make it appropriate for continued public use.
Earlier the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon Sola Giwa, who was at the scene of the damaged bridge to coordinate traffic response activities, urged commuters to exercise utmost caution in the axis, stressing that any recalcitrant driver caught would be prosecuted under the extant laws and the vehicle impounded.
According to eyewitness accounts, the damage to the bridge which was constructed 11 years ago was said to have been caused by the impact of a container-laden truck, that tried to manoeuvre under the bridge bearing a load that was far beyond the provided headroom, thereby causing negative impact to both vehicular traffic and pedestrian users of the bridge.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State government, as part of efforts at revamping and revitalising the bridge and give way to vehicular traffic, has cleared the dismembered parts of the bridge.
The bridge has also been closed for safety reasons while necessary signages and visual displays have been put in place to alert pedestrians and other commuters.
Also, the state government has commenced the process of effecting necessary repairs on the bridge.
