The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing on Friday opened the Ijora 7Up Bridge which was closed to traffic for repairs in July, after undergoing rehabilitation works.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry has also began rehabilitation works on the Third Mainland Bridge and Alaka Bridges.
While opening the Ijora Bridge to traffic, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, said that the damaged bridge was closed for repairs about five months ago.
Kuti said that all the expansion joints on the bridge were bad, saying that some other deteriorated portions made the bridge unsafe; hence, its closure for repairs.
“This is about the third bridge in Lagos that we have completed maintenance work on. Earlier on, we completed that of Marine Beach.
“We completed Coconut Bridge and now, this is the third one, Ijora 7Up Bridge.
“Hopefully, in a couple of months, we should be completing the Leventis Bridge.
“Tomorrow, Saturday, we shall be starting off with the maintenance of Alaka Bridge in Lagos,’’ he said.
Mr Haim Halle, Chief Executive Officer of Hallekem Ltd., the Contractor that handled the repairs, told newsmen that the bridge was badly damaged due to lack of drainage channels.
Halle explained that the bridge deck was lifted by six centimetres and further strengthened while replacing the expansion joints.
He noted that some bearings giving support to the piers of the 326-metres bridge were also changed.
“All the expansion joints are Alga products from Italy. We have used original products that will allow the bridge last up to 30 years, if properly maintained.
“We saved the bridge. Everything was rotten for several years because of lack of drainage; so we just created the drainage.
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