Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ganiyu Johnson
said, the old alignment for the bridge was to claim over 3,000 houses which
would mean huge economic losses to the economy.
He said with the new design, about 800 houses will now be
affected, adding that the affected owners would be compensated by the
government.
He explained that the when constructed would drastically
reduce traffic volume on Eko, Cater and Third Mainland Bridges.
According to him, “The proposed bridge will traverse from
Ajah to North West direction towards the lagoon shoreline to Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway via Ikorodu. The approximate length of the road/bridge is 37.9km
with a design speed of 140km/h.
“Lagos State Government has held discussions with a
consortium of consultants in furtherance of the project,” said the
commissioner.
He further explained that the significance and value of
the project, saying “this lies in its capacity to rapidly decongest the traffic
gridlock within the Lekki corridor and redistribute traffic towards Lagos Mainland
which serves to meet increased future road infrastructure demands.”
He attributed the delay on the ongoing work at Badagry
express way to paucity of funds, adding that Julius Berger, the construction
firm handling the Lot I between Eric Moore to Mile 2, will finish the median
lanes and hand over by August this year while CCECC to which the Lot II as
awarded will continue construction in phases towards Agbara.
He added that the state government initiated a study to
upgrade the network of roads in Ikeja to improve and boost the economic stature
of the seat of government to word-class standard commensurate with other
capital cities and also to reduce to the barest minimum, traffic gridlock along
the corridor.
“This will involve the expansion of Awolowo Way with an
elevated highway from the Airport Hotel to Alausa to decongest the traffic
gridlock along Allen Round-about, Kudirat Abiola Round-about and Agidingbi
Round-about. There will also be an expansion of the Allen/Opebi Road to Odo
Iya-Alaro via a link bridge at Ogudu to the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
These networks of roads when upgraded will boost the
economic activities in Ikeja being the seat of government,” the commissioner
said.
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