THE federal Government has announced a planned closure of the Iyana Oworonshoki-Adeniji Adele section of the Third Mainland Bridge from 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, announced on Thursday in a statement.

Kesha said the closure would be done on the Lagos Island-bound carriageway of the bridge.

She appealed to motorists to obey traffic rules and use alternative routes to prevent hardship as comprehensive repairs continue on the highway.

“The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works wish to inform the motoring public that the emergency repairs of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will continue with the closure of Iyana Oworonshoki-Adeniji Adele bound for the effective repairs of the entire section of the bridge.

“Consequent upon the above, motorists are hereby advised to use alternative routes,” she said.

Kesha listed the alternative routes and links to include: Ojota-Ikorodu Road-Funsho Williams Avenue-Eko Bridge-Apogbon-CMS and Ojota-Ikorodu Road-Jibowu-Yaba-Oyingbo-Iddo-Carter Bridge-CMS.

Also listed was Gbagada-Anthony-Ikorodu Road-Funsho Williams-Eko Bridge-Apogbon-CMS.

“Motorists are further advised to cooperate with the traffic management officials deployed to manage traffic and ensure hitch- free movements in order to minimise the discomfort during this repair period.

“While thanking the general public for their past cooperation and understanding, more is expected this time around,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 11.8kms Third Mainland Bridge undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation is the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.

The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.

It was constructed in 1990 and adjudged as the longest Bridge in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.