Drivers Ensnared In Gridlock Due To Closure Of Third Mainland Bridge IN Lagos

Edited by Afolabi Hannah

Drivers in Lagos expressed their frustration on Wednesday as they found themselves stuck in gridlock for hours following the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge.

The Lagos State Government had announced on Tuesday that the Island-Iyana Oworo bound lane of the Third Mainland Bridge would be inaccessible for 36 hours due to maintenance work.

According to a statement by the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the closure of the Island-Iyana Oworo bound lane commenced at 12:00 am on Wednesday and was scheduled to last until 12:00 noon on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Motorists were advised to utilize the alternative routes provided during this period.

Osiyemi mentioned that the traffic diversion plans that were in place prior to the closure would be reinstated after the 36-hour maintenance work.

However, motorists trying to return to the Mainland on Wednesday encountered difficulties in reaching their destinations due to heavy traffic congestion on the alternative routes. Reports indicate that drivers spent over four hours navigating through traffic jams stretching from Lekki, across Victoria Island, all the way to Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge.

@madikevictor, expressing his frustration through his X handle, lamented, “I left the Island at 4:20 pm and didn’t reach the Third Mainland Bridge until 9:13 pm. I’m losing my mind. Lagos. Why did they even close the bridge in the first place?” The X platform witnessed a trend where other users shared their experiences of the gridlock.

Another commuter, who spoke to the informant , shared that she had been stuck in traffic for nearly five hours. “I have been in this traffic for no less than five hours since I left the Island earlier in the evening,” she stated.

Amid the public outcry over the congestion, it was reported that the bridge was eventually reopened for motorists.

@Riddwane, on the X platform, also reported, “Due to the traffic buildup on Eko Bridge and Western Avenue this evening, the Third Mainland Bridge has been reopened for motorists traveling from the Island to the Mainland. Vehicles can now use the Third Mainland Bridge from Adeniji to Iyana Oworo.”

The Lagos State government announced on Wednesday night that the bridge would be accessible to motorists traveling from the Mainland to the Island, while it would remain closed throughout the day for those commuting from the Island to the Mainland. It was specified that the previous traffic arrangement would resume on Thursday from 1 pm to 12 am for travel from the Island to the Mainland.

In October 2023, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olukorede Keisha, disclosed plans for a comprehensive overhaul of the bridge’s asphalt layers.