IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday paid on-the-spot assessment of Independence Bridge, saying the State government takes responsibility over the gridlock that occurred on Wednesday.
Sanwo-Olu in company of the State Commissioners for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Information, Gbenga Omotoso, SA on Transportation, Sola Giwa among others went round to ascertain the current situation on the bridge and its environs.
The Governor who takes responsibly for the hardship, advised residents to leverage on technology for their businesses instead of making frequent visit to the Island.
Lagosians resumed work on Wednesday after the March 31 and April 1 public holidays, only to face severe traffic jams due to the closure of the Independence Bridge (Marina Bound) on April 1.
By 8 a.m., major alternative routes were heavily congested, causing significant delays. A typical 30-minute drive from CMS to Lekki Phase 1 took over two hours.
The closure had restricted movement from NOUN through Bonny Camp Bridge to Independence Bridge, while the service lane at Bonny Camp Underpass (inbound Independence Bridge) remained closed.
The following suggested alternative routes were also affected by the traffic: Victoria Island: Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue to Akin Adesola Street, Falomo Roundabout, Obafemi Awolowo Road.
To 3rd Mainland Bridge: Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue to Akin Adesola Street, Alfred Rewane Road, Osborne Road.
To Inner Marina/CMS: Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue to Akin Adesola Street, Falomo Roundabout, Obafemi Awolowo Road.
The gridlock also disrupted informal public transport, causing fares to surge from N800 to N2,000 for CMS to Lekki Phase 1.
Many commuters opted to trek or use delivery bikes to bypass the traffic, with social media flooded with complaints from frustrated Lagosians.
As a result, the Federal Government announced the immediate reopening of the Bridge (Ahmadu Bello Way-Marina bound) to vehicular traffic, opting for palliative fixes while deferring full rehabilitation works.
The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha, on Wednesday.
The statement noted that the necessary repair works on the bridge will now be carried out at a later date, while palliative measures are being implemented to ensure the bridge remains motorable.
The bridge was initially closed on April 1 for essential maintenance and rehabilitation works, with the government planning to complete the repairs by May.
Umahi acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the closure and appealed for public understanding and cooperation as the government works on long-term solutions for the bridge’s structural integrity.
Speaking at journalists, Sanwo-Olu said, “This was a case of we all are rushing out yesterday afternoon a long weekend, people needed to get to work, this part of the city is the CBD, the business district.
“And so because of the inadequate communication, and I will to take responsibility because it had started even before then, so you just assume people are aware.
“Communication is enforcement, we have to continue to announce to help people make alternative plans to use other routes.”
He added, “With due respect to the honourable minister, we are the ones on ground.”
The Governor further stated, “I will like to advise our citizens that this type of thing has also happened in another form, let’s think out of the box, if you don’t have a business to do in Victoria Island in the next two to three weeks, conduct your business via telephone, zoom meetings and plan ahead.
“Work from home, work remotely, from Marina to Victoria Island is free. We are also thinking of an alternative so that we can do a counter flow but it also needs a lot of excavation, we are going to break a lot of things and see if it will be effective.
“I want to assure you that you will see a lot of LASTMA officers on the road, you will see double number of LASTMA, they will work till very late.
“I want to appeal to our citizens, it is not time to drive recklessly or to drive against traffic one way, these are what little patience could help us solve.
“There’s never a best time to solve a difficult problem like this; anytime you do it, it will bring discomfort let’s work together.”
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