The Federal Government has appealed to drivers, particularly those of articulated trucks, using the Iddo Bridge, to watch out for diversion signs as height restriction barriers will soon be installed.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday – yesterday, February 8 – that these restrictions were necessary to facilitate repairs.
She said: “I am using this medium to appeal to all the motoring public, especially the articulated trucks that have any business to do with the Iddo Bridge, coming from Apapa to Oyingbo, coming from Apapa to Carter Bridge, coming from Carter Bridge to ijora.
“If you are coming from Oyingbo and you are going to Ijora, you will use this Iddo Bridge that we are talking about.
“I am using this medium to appeal to drivers driving articulated trucks because they are the ones who are mostly affected by this announcement. Very soon, in a couple of days, we are going to reinstall barriers.
“We installed the barriers before. Due to some issues, we uninstalled them, and then we are planning to reinstall them, but we want to spread the message and give drivers ample time to absorb it before we install the barriers again.”
She explained that trucks higher than three metres would be unable to cross the bridge once the height restriction barriers are in place.
“So, we are appealing to drivers that once you approach these junctions, please slow down and look out for the diversion that is in place that will guide you to the next place that you can exit from and then continue on your journey.
“Or, watch out for the traffic personnel that have been deployed to manage traffic during these periods,’’ she said.
Kesha said the bridge requires repairs and these restrictions have become necessary to facilitate those repairs, noting that the initial phase would target heavy vehicles, but eventually, even light vehicles would be affected.
The ultimate goal is to improve the bridge and provide better service to the public, the controller of works added, emphasising the need for patience and cooperation in the course of the repairs.
The government had imposed initial vehicular restrictions on the bridge on Feb. 2.
Kesha disclosed that a structural evaluation revealed defects in several spans of the 550-meter bridge, explaining that repairs to the three major defective spans would take approximately six months, as the process would involve breaking down and recasting them.
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