The Federal Ministry of Works said on Tuesday that three kilometres of asphalt had been removed from the ‘Long Bridge’ on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Mr Kayode Ibrahim, the Ministry’s engineer in charge of the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Section One of the expressway project, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Ibrahim, who is the Engineer Representative on the project, said that Julius Berger had completed three kilometres of work on the Lagos-bound carriageway of the bridge.
He said that repairs on the damaged expansion joints were also ongoing.
Ibrahim said that Julius Berger has “fully re-mobilised back to site, to begin massive rehabilitation work on the expressway”.
“Julius Berger has moved new equipment and personnel to site, to speed up the work and they also now have a new asphalt plant at Ogere, in Ogun State.
“Massive earth works is currently going on in some portions of section one and work is also going on the long bridge.
“We have done over three kilometres of milling on the Long Bridge on the Lagos-bound carriageway.
“We are also replacing bad expansion joints on the bridge and it is not a job that can be done in a hurry.
“We are removing the bad expansion joints put in there between 1973 and 1975,” he said.
Ibrahim explained that some dangerous diversions which could cause accidents had been closed on the Lagos-bound carriageway, in line with advice from the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC).
He said that the FRSC was currently on ground on the highway, working with the construction firm, to ensure there were no obstructions on the road.
“We are creating new diversions on the long bridge on the Lagos bound carriageway, to ease gridlock.
“In order to reduce congestion, we also created some diversions so that smaller vehicles can use them, and leave the major road for bigger trucks,” he said.
Ibrahim explained that Julius Berger was currently filling potholes in front of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)’s Redemption Camp and had completed repairs on some other portions.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), had on Sunday appealed for patience, orderliness and the cooperation of motorists as rehabilitation and reconstruction work progressed on the dual carriageway.
Fashola had explained that the nature of the rehabilitation work on the long bridge which required the complete removal and replacement of the asphalt surface and the expansion joints necessitated the partial restrictions on the bridge.
The minister also said that there were collaborations with stakeholders to create other routes and effectively manage the traffic situation on the expressway.
Julius Berger, the project contractors, had explained that the two main lanes currently under construction will be completed by the end of August.
The firm added that work on various other “narrow lanes” would be spread over the next four months, for final delivery by the middle of December.
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