A trial run of traffic diversion from the Third Mainland Bridge to some other routes in Lagos will be carried out next Saturday, ahead of the partial closure of the bridge, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
The bridge is to be partially closed at the Adekunle exit for about two months, from August 2 during which the Lagos in-bound traffic will be diverted to Lagos out-bound carriageway until the Adeniji Adele exit.
The diversion trial was part of the decisions taken on Thursday by the stakeholders at a meeting held at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.
The Special Assistant to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, who led the Lagos State team to the meeting, said that the diversion test run was necessary to enable them perfect the approach.
He also said that the stakeholders agreed to reconvene at the Lagos end of the bridge next Saturday during the state�s environmental sanitation to review strategies for the traffic redirection.
The Federal Controller of Works for Lagos, Mr. Tunde Ekunsumi, led the team from the Federal Ministry of Transportation to the meeting.
He said that motorists would be encouraged to use three alternative routes during the period.
They include Ebute Meta-Herbert Macauley-Oyingbo-Iddo to Lagos; Oworoshoki-Anthony Oke-Ikorodu Road to Lagos and Ojota-Ikorodu Road/Western Avenue to Lagos.
Ekunsumi had earlier explained the diversion, saying, �The bridge will be partially closed at the Adekunle exit and the Lagos in-bound traffic will be diverted to Lagos out-bound carriageway until the Adeniji Adele exit when the traffic will be diverted back to follow its normal course.
�This situation will be in the morning hours between 5am and 12noon. Whereas in the afternoon, between 1pm and 4am, Lagos out-bound traffic will follow the normal course.�
According to him, a gangway to enable vehicles to transit to the other carriageway would be constructed at the Adeniji Adele exit.
Traffic groups represented at the forum were the Federal Road Safety Commission, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the traffic unit of the police.
Meanwhile, the FRSC has said that motorists found driving against the traffic during the partial closure of the bridge will be subjected to severe punishment.
The sector Commander, Lagos State, Mr. Kayode Olagunju, said this on Thursday while addressing journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
He said, �We have laid down penalties for anyone found driving against the traffic during this period.
�Apart from this, there are over 40 offences and punishments laid down in the FRSC Acts of 2007. All these will also be brought to line.�
Olagunju, who allayed the fears of the public on effects of the closure, said that the commission was fully prepared, adding that necessary logistics had been deployed.
According to him, there is a stakeholders meeting going on the proposed partial closure to ensure that all necessary machinery is put in place.
The commander said that though the effects of the closure would bring some pains to the road users, the commission was already meeting with the contractor handling the bridge, the Ministry of Transporttion, the police, the Lagos State Transport Management Agency and others parties to ensure a smooth transition period.
Olagunju also announced that on January 1, 2009, motorcycle riders, popularly called �Okada,� and their passengers would not be allowed on the roads without putting on crash helmets.
He said that the commission had applied for a enough helmets for this purpose, insisting that it was not prepared to allow for further extension on this date
On the suspended issuance of driving licence by the Federal Government due to the face-off between it and the Lagos State government, he said that The Presidency had instituted a dialogue, which he said was still going on, believing that it would be resolved soon.