The Federal Government has approved N6.28bn for the surface maintenance of the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this to State House correspondents after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa.
According to Fashola, the 24-month repair will cover 11 kilometers including interchanges, ramps, and critical links.
He noted that the move aligns with Executive Order 11 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2022, which gave legal backing to the country’s national maintenance policy.
This announcement comes shortly after the Lagos State Government announced its plan to rehabilitate the 32-year-old bridge to repair failed and peeled asphaltic sections and substructure. However, Fashola argued that there will be no duplication of efforts.
He explained that the State’s Public Works Corporation will focus on the functional structure of the bridge, such as the underwater piles, while the Federal Government will undertake surface maintenance to treat potholes and restore missing guard rails.
“Council approved a fresh contract for the maintenance of the pavement of the third mainland bridge and this was approved in the sum of N6.28bn for a period of 24 months,” Fashola said.
“I have been asked about the works that have been done on the bridge before. The works are concentrating largely on the substructure of the bridge; the underwater piles, the pile caps and also the replacement of the expansion joints and the bearings. These are maintenance works that are critical to the structural integrity of the bridge. What we’re dealing with now is different. It is the driving surface and also the aesthetics. Some of the rails have been stolen. Some of the pleats are misaligned at the routes that lead you on and off the bridge.”
Fashola further assured that there will be no anticipated prolonged closures during the works.
