The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said that the Third Mainland Bridge would be totally shut to traffic on Sunday.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, who made this known to journalists, said the repair being carried out on the bridge by the Federal Government had reached a critical stage.
He said, �The work is progressing as planned and a little bit ahead of schedule. We have reached a critical path in the time line (concrete reinforcement of two of the four joints to be replaced).
�The concrete setting will require 12 hours of curing with zero vibration. Consequently, access to and from the bridge will be denied from 6am to 12 midnight of Sunday, August 31, 2008.�
Opeifa said that traffic would be completely diverted away from the bridge, adding that normal traffic diversion would continue on Monday.
He said officials of the state traffic management authority and other traffic and security personnel would ensure smooth flow of traffic on alternative routes during the period.
The state Commissioner for Transportation, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, said Sunday was chosen because there would be less traffic on that day.
According to him, concrete will be poured on the rehabilitated portions of the bridge on Sunday as all engineering work has been concluded.
He said, �We need the concrete to cure properly, that is why there must be no vibration on the bridge on that day. If there is any form of vibration, the concrete will not form well.
�They need about 12 hours to pour in the concrete and let it cure. If they can secure those 12 hours, then the concrete will form properly and the bridge will be re-opened on Monday morning.
�People should look for alternative routes like Ikorodu Road, Yaba-Oyingbo, and Oshodi through Apapa.�
He advised residents of the state without any urgent business on Lagos Island to refrain from making unnecessary visits so that the volume of traffic on the alternative routes would not be higher than necessary.