The Federal Government Tuesday said the three-day closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for Investigative Maintenance Test earlier slated to begin on July 27, 2018, has been shifted to August 24.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed that the new date was fixed after intense consultation with the Lagos State government among other relevant stakeholders to reduce likely discomforts and offer relief to Lagos residents and those plying the road from neighbouring states.
According to the minister, the shutdown, earlier scheduled to last from July 27 to July 30 will now last from August 24 to August 26, 2018.
In statement issued by his Special Adviser on Communications, Akeem Bello, in Abuja palliative measures have been put in place to decongest the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
The Minister directed the immediate deployment of trucks to the trailer park being constructed by the ministry to accommodate 300 trucks.
The statement reads: โThe three day closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for Investigative Maintenance Test earlier slated to begin on July 27, 2018, has been shifted to August 24 the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has announced. The Shutdown, earlier scheduled to last from July 27 to July 30 will now last from August 24 to August 26, 2018.
โOn the efforts to decongest the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Fashola said, in the short term, he has directed the immediate deployment of trucks to the trailer park being constructed by the Ministry with the capacity to accommodate about 300 trucks while construction works for the shoreline protection continues.
โAlso, the on-going palliative work on the sections of the Apapa-Oshodi Road , the on-going construction of the road leading to the Apapa Port from Ijora will soon be completed while the main exit route through Tincan โ Oshodi โ Oworonshoki is under procurement for award. When completed, the project will enable free flow of traffic in the axis.โ
The statement read further that, โfollowing the visit of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to Lagos in connection with the Apapa Port Gridlock, a short term measure, a call up system in the control of truck movement will be introduced.
โIt will be initially manual while the long term digital and ICT based system would be developed and deployed. The Association of Truck Owners has agreed to manage the manual system with their members who are truck operators.โ
