By Benjamin Omoike ……………………………………………………………………………………………Over 20 years after conception, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday flagged off the construction of Ojota – Opebi Link Bridge nestled with Approach Roads to ease traffic in the area.
Speaking at the flag off ceremony held in the Opebi area of the state, Governor Sanwo-Olu also hinted that aside from the 10 Talgo car-trains acquired by the state government for Red Line, additional three sets of trains have been procured for the Blue Line.
The Link Bridge has a total length of 3.89km consisting of 2829m road length with 276m Deck-on-Pile Bridge and 474m mechanically stabilised earth wall approach sections.
The governor explained that the Link Bridge project would start from the Opebi U-Turn and span across the gorge to drop at the intersection of Odo Iyalaro Bridge and approach from Ojota New Garage near Mende along Ikorodu Road.
The governor further explained that Bridge and Approach Roads is also designed to convey traffic from Odo Iyalaro into Maryland as well as towards Ojota New Garage on Ikorodu Road through an Underpass, adding that the approach roads will greatly enhance vehicular movement towards Opebi/Allen/ Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way via Sheraton Link Bridge / Kudirat Abiola Way and its environs.
The project which conceived 20 years ago has been awarded to Messrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc after carrying out studies and engineering investigations along the project alignment.
Sanwo-Olu said, “We are here this afternoon to witness another milestone in the implementation of the Traffic Management and Transportation Pillar of our administration’s THEMES Agenda and the State Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).
“This flag-off ceremony demonstrates the priority that we accord to the welfare and well-being of the people. It is also a testament of our commitment to the Greater Lagos Vision.
“We recognise the strategic importance of road infrastructure to sustainable development, which explains our administration’s focus on the provision of road infrastructure to achieve some pre-conceived targets like reduced travel time on our roads- (by saving important man-hours that would have been otherwise lost to traffic); enhanced inter connectivity; provision of better riding surface; and elimination of traffic gridlocks while generally making life more meaningful to commuters in Lagos State.
“In consideration of the exponential growth rate of commercial activities and services within this axis, and to address the challenge of the huge traffic burden occasioned by the growth, we decided to provide carefully designed innovative solutions to ease the daily gridlock experienced by commuters around Opebi / Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way/ Ojota/Mende corridor.
“As you are aware, there is presently no direct link between Opebi, Maryland and Ojota. The available road infrastructure that links the axis is also limited in its connectivity options, thus during peak periods, the high traffic volume within the axis usually congests the Ikeja Traffic Network.
“Consequently, we recognized the need to provide another Legacy Project by constructing the Ojota – Opebi Link Bridge and Approach Roads to connect Opebi Road from its tail end with Lagos- Ikorodu road by Odo Iya -Alaro.
“This will invariably reduce travel time for Lagos and Ikorodu bound traffic from Opebi. It will also ease the traffic situation at Opebi – Sheraton Link Road and Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
“This Legacy Project will provide a new link to commute around Ikeja and its environs. It will also act as a relief to the saturated and over-burdened routes within Ikeja. There will also be a cascading effect on passenger transfer time for public transport operators with a significant impact on vehicle operating costs.”
Dwelling on the newly acquired two sets of 10 Talgo car-train, the Governor said, “We also initiated the construction of a 37 km track rail project which is steadily progressing, in addition to the complete overhaul of our water transportation system so that we can achieve an efficient and safe transport system that suits our megacity status and befits a 21st century economy.
“The Talgo trains will make our transportation system more functional, open up the local economy and bring impactful succour and relief to commuters.
“We have also acquired three sets of trains for the Blue Line as we will be unveiling that we don’t want to talk much about it,” adding “If you don’t want to believe what we are saying, you can’t disbelieve what we’ve done.”
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr Aramide Adeyoye, said, “It might interest you all to note that this project was conceived as far back as in Year 2001 over twenty (20) years ago, but for one reason or the other has not seen the light of the day. My joy knows no bounds that our dear Governor has decided to take the bull by the horns to ensure that this long overdue project which will transform the entire Ikeja and environs becomes a reality.
“At present, there is an overstretch on the capacity of the existing network of roads in the corridor with limiting connectivity options that would ease traffic and improve travel time. More importantly there is no direct link between the Opebi – Maryland – Ogudu – 3rd Mainland Bridge as conceived in the Lagos State Transportation Master Plan (STMP).”
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