FG to Close Ijora Bridge for Repairs From April 27

The federal government has announced plans to fully close the Ijora Bridge in Lagos from April 27, for repair works.

The federal controller of works, Lagos state, Olukorede Kesha, made this known during an inspection of the bridge on Monday according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

She said that the bridge which connects Ijora Causeway to Apapa needed comprehensive repairs, especially replacement of defective bearings beneath the deck.

Ms Kesha said: “This bridge has been awarded for some time now in different phases.

“We are now at the final phase, which involves lifting the entire bridge deck to change the faulty bearings beneath.

“A lot of the bearings are defective, and approximately 50 of them will be replaced across three sections.

The Ijora Bridge is a major route leading to Apapa, home to two of Nigeria’s busiest ports, Tincan and Apapa ports and as such the closure would cause massive disruptions to commuters.

Mrs Kesha however noted that the repairs was necessary for the safety of commuters and to prevent further deterioration.

Traffic Management Plans

To manage expected gridlock during the repairs, motorists approaching from Ijora would be redirected through Seven Up Roundabout to reconnect to Apapa.

Heavy-duty vehicles on the other hand would be diverted via Costain through Iganmu to access Apapa

This repair work is coming after the federal ministry of works received complaints from concerned citizens who have noticed intense vibrations on the bridge.

Repair Duration

These repairs would be the first major work on the Ijora Bridge since it was constructed decades ago. The initial phase of the work, which would involve lifting the deck and replacing the bearings, would require full closure of the bridge while subsequent activities such as removing and replacing the asphalt might be done in stages, possibly on Sundays, to reduce traffic disruption.

The actual duration of the work is however unknown at the time of filing this report.

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