Less
than two years after the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos was closed to traffic
for comprehensive repair and rehabilitation works, more problems have surfaced
as the expansion joints on the bridge have opened up again, raising concerns.
The most visible of the distressed expansion joints is the Adekunle axis of the 11.8-kilometre bridge, where a significant gap has opened up.
National Mirror observed that there was movement of the expansion joint between two sections of the bridge, which had created a fourinch gap.
Our correspondent noted that the rubber covering the expansion gap had fallen off; creating a see-through hole, while both sections were now visibly misaligned, causing motorists to feel a heavy bump when passing over.
However, the opening on the expansion joint is believed to be causing gridlock while ascending the bridge as vehicles are forced to slowdown on the spot.
A Lagos-based structural engineer, Mr. Bolaji Omoyemi, told National Mirror that the Federal Government should follow the renovation plan stipulated in the engineering drawing of the bridge.
He said: “The Federal Government has to go back to the design and see what is being done as per the expansion joint. We need to go back to the core design to see what was done then and what is to be done now. If the engineers that designed the bridge say there should be renovation work every four years they should do it, that is how it is done all over the world.”
The engineer also stated that there was possibility for movement for a bridge on the water, saying that “as the water moves the expansion joint moves.”
“Since the bridge is on the water there is tendency for movement, take for instance the Eko Bridge, the expansion joint on the bridge is being worked on every five years and I think that is what should be done on the Third Mainland Bridge also, especially on the expansion joints.”
Allaying fears of road users concerning the longest bridge in West Africa, Omoyemi said the bridge could not cave in because of the support it had from under the water.
The Federal Controller of Works in charge of Lagos State, Mr. Godwin Eke, initially declined comments, saying he would see things for himself.
After visiting the bridge, however, Eke in a SMS to our correspondent said the Federal Government was aware of the current situation of the expansion joint on the bridge, but insisted that “it is not critical.”
“Be assured that the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Government are aware of the current situation and are presently working on the bridge abutment (Adeniji Adele) that is critical.
“We have repaired and replaced 12 expansion joints on the Third Mainland Bridge so far. I have seen the joint and it is not as critical as the 12 joints already replaced.
Some sections of the Third Mainland Bridge were in 2012 closed to traffic by the Federal Ministry of Works for repair.
The repair work included dealing with excessive vibrations, which occurred at damaged expansion joint locations whenever heavy vehicles crossed over them and replacement of rubber accessories that had been damaged.
Also, significant horizontal displacement of a retaining wall at an intermediate abutment of the bridge was observed with the immediate replacement of more damaged expansion joints since the vibrations were still traced to them and underwater inspection was conducted to ascertain the current state of the bridge substructure/ foundation.
The Third Mainland Bridge is also the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, the other two being the Eko and Carter bridges. It is the longest bridge in Africa. The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
There is also a link midway through the bridge that leads to the Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba. It was built by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and opened by former military President Ibrahim Babangida in 1990.
The most visible of the distressed expansion joints is the Adekunle axis of the 11.8-kilometre bridge, where a significant gap has opened up.
National Mirror observed that there was movement of the expansion joint between two sections of the bridge, which had created a fourinch gap.
Our correspondent noted that the rubber covering the expansion gap had fallen off; creating a see-through hole, while both sections were now visibly misaligned, causing motorists to feel a heavy bump when passing over.
However, the opening on the expansion joint is believed to be causing gridlock while ascending the bridge as vehicles are forced to slowdown on the spot.
A Lagos-based structural engineer, Mr. Bolaji Omoyemi, told National Mirror that the Federal Government should follow the renovation plan stipulated in the engineering drawing of the bridge.
He said: “The Federal Government has to go back to the design and see what is being done as per the expansion joint. We need to go back to the core design to see what was done then and what is to be done now. If the engineers that designed the bridge say there should be renovation work every four years they should do it, that is how it is done all over the world.”
The engineer also stated that there was possibility for movement for a bridge on the water, saying that “as the water moves the expansion joint moves.”
“Since the bridge is on the water there is tendency for movement, take for instance the Eko Bridge, the expansion joint on the bridge is being worked on every five years and I think that is what should be done on the Third Mainland Bridge also, especially on the expansion joints.”
Allaying fears of road users concerning the longest bridge in West Africa, Omoyemi said the bridge could not cave in because of the support it had from under the water.
The Federal Controller of Works in charge of Lagos State, Mr. Godwin Eke, initially declined comments, saying he would see things for himself.
After visiting the bridge, however, Eke in a SMS to our correspondent said the Federal Government was aware of the current situation of the expansion joint on the bridge, but insisted that “it is not critical.”
“Be assured that the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Government are aware of the current situation and are presently working on the bridge abutment (Adeniji Adele) that is critical.
“We have repaired and replaced 12 expansion joints on the Third Mainland Bridge so far. I have seen the joint and it is not as critical as the 12 joints already replaced.
Some sections of the Third Mainland Bridge were in 2012 closed to traffic by the Federal Ministry of Works for repair.
The repair work included dealing with excessive vibrations, which occurred at damaged expansion joint locations whenever heavy vehicles crossed over them and replacement of rubber accessories that had been damaged.
Also, significant horizontal displacement of a retaining wall at an intermediate abutment of the bridge was observed with the immediate replacement of more damaged expansion joints since the vibrations were still traced to them and underwater inspection was conducted to ascertain the current state of the bridge substructure/ foundation.
The Third Mainland Bridge is also the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, the other two being the Eko and Carter bridges. It is the longest bridge in Africa. The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
There is also a link midway through the bridge that leads to the Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba. It was built by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and opened by former military President Ibrahim Babangida in 1990.
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