FG Targets 24-Month Completion for Carter Bridge Reconstruction

The Federal Government says it plans to complete the reconstruction of Lagos’ Carter Bridge in 24 months, nine months ahead of the project’s original 36-month completion schedule.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made the disclosure on Monday during an inspection tour of the Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge reconstruction projects in Lagos.

He was joined by the Minister of State for Works, Sen. Mohammed Goronyo, as well as National Assembly members, including the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Mr Akin Alabi.

Umahi said the decision to speed up the Carter Bridge reconstruction was informed by the bridge’s importance to transportation and traffic movement in Lagos.

The minister said the 1.58km bridge had served the city for more than 60 years without sufficient maintenance, resulting in serious structural defects.

“Carter Bridge has stayed for over 60 to 70 years with no maintenance.

“The lifespan of every bridge is about 50 years, and what we found out from the underwater survey is that a lot of the piles had detached from the pile caps.

“It is like having the leg removed from the hip. There was also a lot of rust within the piles, while scouring and illegal sand mining contributed to the failure of the bridge,” he said.

He explained that the government had completed a fresh design for the bridge, incorporating features intended to improve traffic circulation and strengthen the structure against future damage.

The new design, according to Umahi, will feature more ramps to ease congestion, with one carriageway passing above another.

He added that a cable-stayed section would be included to ensure adequate clearance for navigation.

“Carter Bridge is 1.58km but you are going to see aesthetics, engineering and innovation.

“We are going to be flying one carriageway over the other, increasing the number of ramps to decongest traffic towards the ramp sections.

“We are also having a cable bridge to contain the 105 spans for navigational activities. It is going to be beautiful,” Umahi said.

The minister disclosed that CCECC, the contractor handling the project, had completed approximately 15 per cent of preliminary activities.

These activities include the establishment of the contractor’s yard and construction of access roads, while piling is expected to begin before the end of the week.

To further safeguard the bridge, Umahi said the government would install protective structures such as gabions around its foundations to minimise the effects of erosion and scouring.

He ruled out a complete closure of Carter Bridge throughout the reconstruction period, stressing that such a move would have severe consequences for traffic in Lagos.

“If we close Carter Bridge, Lagos will go into katakata (chaos). That is why we are maintaining it while the reconstruction is going on,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that similar work was being carried out on the Third Mainland Bridge, with the intervention expected to add another 50 years to its service life.

Umahi expressed confidence that the reconstructed Carter Bridge would have a lifespan of more than 100 years due to the modern engineering solutions being incorporated.

He commended CCECC for its efforts and appreciated the National Assembly for its support.

Meanwhile, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olufemi Dare, said the contractor had already mobilised to the Carter Bridge site and commenced access-road construction.

He confirmed that the project yard had been established and that piling would soon begin.

Giving an update on the Iddo Bridge project, Dare said three spans — 13, 14 and 15 — had completely failed but had now been replaced.

“Three days ago, we completed the casting, and the bridge has also been elevated, giving us very good headroom underneath.

“In another 10 days, after the concrete has cured, we will open this section to traffic and close the other section, after which demolition will start immediately,” he said.

Dare said drainage and Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) works on the Iddo Bridge project were about 90 per cent complete.

He projected that the Iddo Bridge intervention would be completed within two months.

Sen. Allwell Onyesoh described the Carter Bridge reconstruction as a necessary and timely intervention, noting that Lagos had undergone substantial population growth since the bridge was first constructed.

He said the National Assembly would provide the necessary support to ensure the project was successfully delivered.

Alabi also described the reconstruction as overdue, arguing that the bridge should have been rehabilitated and expanded years ago.

He commended Umahi for his efforts and said the completed project would have significant benefits for Lagos residents and Nigerians generally.

Africans Angle News