Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said he anticipates a significant resolution to the persistent traffic challenges plaguing crucial routes such as Kudirat Abiola Road and Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, extending towards Alausa, when the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge is completed.
Sanwo-Olu’s remarks came during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge, on Tuesday, where he highlighted the strategic role the bridge would play in easing traffic congestion and providing alternative commuting routes for Lagos residents.
The governor added that the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge will be ready for commuters by the third quarter of 2024.
He said the bridge, whose construction started over a year ago, had reached 65 percent completion, adding that there was still a lot to be done.
He said, ”I’m impressed with the level of work that Messrs Julius Berger has done here. We came here last year, I think about 11 months ago, in January or so, or February, and this bridge was not in existence at that time.
“There was barely nothing. I’m happy with the level of work that we have seen thus far.
”We are still on track with the completion. We are still hoping that by the second quarter of next year, towards the third quarter, we should finish this entire road construction, so that it can be handed over to the residents and also can be made available.
”There is still going to be a bit of furniture that you are going to see on this bridge. Eventually, it will look like another iconic bridge in Lagos, which will be similar to what we have in the Lekki axis.
”As you can see, there is enough room for cycling; there is enough room for pedestrians walking on the road. We are going to see a total life change.”
He said the government would encourage people that wanted to exercise by the bridge to do so, and move freely, as the government was ensuring that what was seen in other developed nations were replicated in Lagos State.
According to him, the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge is meant to solve a major traffic problem and provide alternative routes for Lagos residents.
”People that are commuting from Toyin, Allen, Opebi, how can they access the Ojota bridge? People from Manyland, how can they go on straight into Ikeja?
”So, it will solve a lot of the alternative problems that we have, either on Kudirat Abiola road, even as far as going towards Alausa and it also try to solve the major traffic issues we have on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way,” he said.
The governor said the bridge was situated in very tough terrain, which had made the project manager, Julius Berger, to do 20 metres excavation, so as to execute a solid bridge.
”The soil texture is really bad. In fact, the project manager, Julius Berger, says they have to do excavation of over 20 metres in some places, so that they can preserve the land and they can work seamlessly.
”What this has opened up to is that this is an economic development and we are changing the face of traffic management, we are changing the face of commuting in Lagos and we are changing the face of access to modern infrastructure roads and development,” he said
