FG targets July completion for  Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, collapsed Ijora bridge

The Federal Government said on Tuesday that ongoing rehabilitation of the Apapa-bound lane of the Marine Bridge near Ijora that collapsed in May would be completed in July.

It would be recalled that the deck-on-pile bridge caved in and was shut down on May 17 after investigations revealed that vandals had flared and removed steel components beneath the infrastructure.

Speaking on the projects, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mrs. Olukorede Keisha, disclosed that the contractor was already on site fixing five panels of the bridge damaged by the vandals.

Keisha said although only one panel collapsed, a total of five were distressed and are currently being demolished and rehabilitated simultaneously on alternative stretches.

She explained that after panels one and three were demolished and replaced, panels two, four and five would be demolished and recast.

She said that a method of reconstruction was being adopted to prevent the total collapse of the bridge, adding that bridges are usually not continuous but cast in panels.

The controller added that the repairs would be completed in July.

“It was discovered after inspection that five panels are in critical condition. Work has started with the demolition of alternate panels now. We will demolish panel one, then move on to panel number three.

“When they cast one and three, they will come and demolish panels one, two and four,” she said.

Panels are long stretches of the bridge deck connected by expansion joints.

Speaking on measures against future vandalism, she said a proposal had been made and submitted to dislodge all illegal occupants under bridges.

The Controller said the federal government was going to collaborate with the private sector on how to secure all open spaces underneath bridges to safeguard them.

Commenting on the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction/rehabilitation project, Keisha said work on the Otedola Bridge section would “be completed this weekend”.

She added that the contractor would therefore move to the Ojodu Berger Section and complete repairs by the end of July, all things being equal.