The Federal Government has declared the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos safe for use by the motoring public.
The position of the Government was contained in a statement on Sunday by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
This followed the posting on Facebook and other social media of an expansion joint in a video clip, with some declaring the bridge unsafe for use.
The statement said the expansion joint is one of those slated for change during the repairs of the Third Mainland Bridge.
The Government said the repairs will commence soon.
The statement said: “It is still functioning and our engineers and consultants have advised that it does not pose any structural danger to the bridge and it is safe to use.
“Commuters and Lagos residents will recall that the Third Mainland Bridge was shut down for a three-day Investigative Maintenance in August 2018. Tests done on the expansion joints then – called static and dynamic load tests – were to check functionality. A number of expansion joints were identified for replacement then.
“More recently, in March this year, underwater confirmatory tests (video attached) preceding the repair works to be done on the Bridge, were carried out on the piles to determine if there is further deterioration or not on the piles from that done in 2013.
“However, all the tests done preparatory to closure of the Bridge to commence comprehensive Maintenance works indicate that the integrity of the Bridge is intact.
“Therefore the Third Mainland Bridge is safe for use, and people should desist from spreading or sharing false information about the Bridge on Social Media platforms.
“The expansion joints to be replaced are part of a regular bridge maintenance programme that has been neglected for decades which the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is now addressing frontally on many bridges nationwide. Such maintenance works include resurfacing of the Bridge, along with several others, which this administration is also undertaking as the bridge users will attest to a better driving surface.”
Underwater Confirmatory Tests on the Lagos 3rd Mainland Bridge (MARCH 2019)