By LYDIA NGWAKWE

The Federal Government has said that it will impose vehicular restriction on the Iddo Bridge in Lagos State, from Feb. 2, to facilitate essential repairs.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, made the disclosure at a press briefing on Wednesday in Lagos.

She said that the restrictions were necessary to ensure public safety while the government would be addressing the bridge?s structural integrity issues.

Kesha said: ?We are here to sensitise Lagosians, the general public and the motoring public that the capacity of the bridge will be reduced by about 60 per cent from Sunday.

?This means that barriers will be installed by Sunday. This old bridge, constructed in 1973, has not really undergone any major repairs. What it has always undergone is just palliative.

?What that means is that we will be installing barriers that will be restricting heavy vehicular movements on the bridge.

?The bridge will be limited to light traffic alone, from Sunday.?

The federal controller of works said that structural evaluation revealed defects in some spans of the 550m-long bridge.

According to her, there is the need to limit traffic to light vehicles to ensure safety during the repairs period.

She said that it would take about six months for the three major defective spans to be repaired.

Kesha said that the repairs would involve breaking down the spans and recasting them.

?We do not want to have an incident, an unfortunate one at that. That is why the honourable minister has directed that we should limit the capacity of the bridge.

?The bridge will still be in use, it is just that the barriers will limit heavy vehicular movement, articulated trucks will no longer be able to ply this bridge.

?We have about 25 spans there, only three are defective,? she said.

She added that the headroom of the bridge would be increased to prevent damage.

She said that the low headroom of the bridge contributed to the damage by forcing heavy vehicles to pass, causing concrete to crack and expose reinforcement.

The controller said that during the repairs, heavy vehicles would be diverted to alternative routes.

She said that the contractor handling the repairs was ready to begin work, assuring that funding and designing would be provided.

She also said that repairs would be conducted in phases to minimise disruption, adding that traffic would be diverted to one side while the other side would be undergoing repair.

Kesha said that the ministry would collaborate with the Lagos State Government for smooth implementation, assuring that the bridge would be fully re-opened to all traffic once completed. (NAN)

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