By Seyi Babalola
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday said the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge and other arterial roads connecting the bridge will be ready for commuters by the Second Quarter of 2024.
The construction of the bridge is in line with the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to the second pillar of the THEMES+ developmental agenda, which is Traffic Management and Transportation.
Speaking with journalists at the Odo Iya Alaro area of the state, after an inspection tour of the Opebi- Mende- Ojota Link Bridge, on Tuesday, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the project conceived over a year ago is currently at about 65 percent competition stage.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and some members of the State Executive Council, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly and other key stakeholders during the inspection tour, expressed satisfaction with the level of ongoing construction works by the contractor.
He said the Opebi- Mende- Ojota link Bridge when completed will in no small measure solve major traffic issues and provide alternative routes for motorists plying Toyin, Allen, Opebi to access Ojota and those from Maryland to connect Ikeja and its environs, adding that it will also decongesting traffic on Kudirat Abiola Way and Mobolaji Bank Anthony.
Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that additional human needs infrastructure such as walkway for pedestrians, bicycle lane, parking space to accommodate any broken-down vehicles temporarily and other complementing road infrastructure, were considered in the construction of the bridge.
He noted that when completed the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge would not only provide an alternative route, it would also ease traffic congestion in the axis and would bring about economic development to the state.
The Governor also disclosed that a tour of the ongoing Regional Road in Lekki would soon be embarked on.
He said: “The Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge is going to solve the major traffic problems and provide alternatives for our citizens; people that are commuting from Toyin, Allen Avenue, Opebi to access Ojota Bridge and people coming from Maryland can go straight to Ikeja. It will solve many traffic problems that we have on Kudirat Abiola Road going towards Alausa. It will also solve the major traffic issues that we have on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
“The bridge is an economic development. We are changing the face of traffic management. We are changing the face of commuting in Lagos and we are changing the face of access to modern infrastructure roads and development.
“I am impressed with the amount of work that Messrs Julius Berger has done here. We are happy with the contractor and all the consultants. We are still on track with the completion. We are still hoping that by the second quarter of next year, towards the third quarter, we should complete the entire road construction so that we can hand it over to the citizens.
“There is still going to be a bit of furniture that you are going to see on the bridge. Eventually, it will look like another iconic bridge in Lagos, similar to what we have in the Lekki axis. We want to ensure that what we see in other developed nations are the kind of infrastructural development that we are doing in Lagos.”
Also speaking during the inspection tour, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Ikeja II Constituency, Hon. Adedamola Kasunmu commended the Governor Sanwo-Olu for solving the plights of residents in the Ikeja axis, saying the people of Ikeja are happy with the bridge project.
Kasunmu, the Deputy Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge would solve traffic problems and alleviate people’s sufferings in Ikeja and its environment when completed.
