As the four-month rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge commences today, uncertainty and palpable fear have started to unfold among many residents of the state, especially those who frequently use the bridge.
According to Sunday Tribune findings, despite the state government’s announcement that it had put measures in place to help control traffic on the alternative routes that would be made available, many residents are still left in the dark about the shape things will take in the days to come.
The situation is so given the difficulty many residents have been facing while making their way to their respective destinations as a result of the recent downpours recorded in the state which have made life not only difficult in terms of loss of valuables, but also in terms of the ensuing heavy traffic.
It will be recalled that the state government last week disclosed it would make available no fewer than 500 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), who are expected to help in the control of traffic in the alternative routes to be provided throughout the duration of rehabilitation.
However, further findings made by Sunday Tribune revealed that many of the roads that have been earmarked as alternative routes were massively affected by the flooding recorded in various parts of the state after a series of downpour, a situation that has further heightened the uncertainty surrounding the nature of the traffic that will develop. Such places include Ikorodu Road, Agege Motor Road, Ijora, Oshodi and Ojota interchanges.
“The entire situation is indeed very precarious. This is because before the rains, we were not really sure of what the traffic situation would look like when the bridge is partially closed for the specified period. But now that many roads have been affected one way or the other by the flood, things can only look bleaker,” said a resident of Agege.
In the meantime, the Commissioner of Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, has again reiterated the government’s resolve to manage the unavoidable traffic that would develop as a result of the ensuing diversion. He insisted that the traffic would be managed in such a way that useful man-hours lost would be minimal.
