Lagos State government has said that the Opebi-Mende Link Bridge aimed at providing carefully designed innovative solutions that would ease the daily gridlock being experienced by commuters around corridor is 85 per cent completed.

This was revealed on Friday during the site inspection to some ongoing road construction projects by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy Mr. Olumide Sogunle, and Permanent Secretary Office of Infrastructure, Lateef Somide.

Opebi Link Bridge is an iconic project that transverses from Opebi end through the swamp/ valley area to link Ojota road/Odo Iya- Alaro Bridge, Maryland and several other roads within the environs.

The construction of the bridge is strategic idea birth as part of the THEMES+ Agenda and policy thrust of Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

“Presently there is no direct link between Opebi – Maryland – Ojota and the available infrastructure linking the axis is limited in its connectivity options, thus during peak periods, the high volume within the axis usually tail back to the congested Ikeja traffic network.

“The huge traffic burden occasioned by the growth, we decided to provide carefully designed innovative solutions that would ease the daily gridlock being experienced by commuters around Opebi / Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way/ Ojota/Mende corridor

“Upon completion, the project will 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.

Likewise, in furtherance of the state government efforts to improve connectivity and provide effective by-pass to traffic gridlocks, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration embarked on the construction of the Abiola–Onijemo Link Road with bridge project. 

The project, which traverses a swampy terrain would serve as a strategic link from College Road through Ajayi Street, Ogba to Aruna/Obawole/Iju-Ishaga in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Council and Ojodu Local Council Secretariat.

The project, which is about 80 per cent completed, was embarked upon 20 months ago, when completed would serve as an effective by-pass to heavy traffic gridlocks and reduce travel time.

In line with Mr Governor’s strategic master plan for the movement of people and commuters in the axis and with the quality that has been put into this project, the project is poised to be scheduled to be completed in the next 2 months

With the project, the government hopes to prevent flooding and improve the environmental status of the communities as well as serve as an effective by-pass to heavy traffic gridlocks in the area.

Similarly, to reverse flooding and address the various environmental and infrastructural challenges leading to the collapse of the road network within the Ikeja GRA, the administration of Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu embarked upon Urban Regeneration Project.

   
The project is a network of 5 roads, comprising Oduduwa Way, Oduduwa Crescent, Oba Dosunmu and Sobo Arobiodu streets totalling about 5 kilometres. 
   
The project was conceived to recognise the change in density, introduction of commercial and development along certain road alignments, drive urban regeneration and public infrastructure improvement programme that will accelerate the socio-economic development of the state.

Upon completion of the regeneration works and upgrading of the roads in Ikeja GRA will ensure an improved drainage network, provide an effective drainage system, address the problem of perennial flooding and provide good connectivity with other roads in the vicinity. 

To ensure the sustainability of provided road assets and to optimize the level-of-service outcome in return for the financial input, residents’ associations are hereby urged to take ownership of the Project

Currently, the projects at about 89 per cent completion were  conceived to recognise the change in density of the GRA interconnects to form a network of roads

This set of roads which represents the first phase of the GRA regeneration project is planned to be completed by the end of July.Also visited is the ongoing construction of Arowojobe Link Bridge, which suffered structural failure in the year 2016.

 
The state government intervened by re-awarding the construction of Arowojobe Link Bridge and approach road at Mende, Maryland in Kosofe Local Council. The link bridge provides access from the Greenland Estate, Ajao Estate and Millennium Estate to Maryland/Mende through Adekayode and Sunmola streets.

For this project which is about 77 per cent completed, we had to extract the collapsed bridge structure and re-design the bridge.” The team also visited spot of ongoing works around the rehabilitation of St Finbarrs Road consisting of two sections of University of Lagos to Abule Okuta and Abule Okuta to Soluyi Deeper Life Church in Kosofe Local Council, which was awarded to decongest traffic on the Ikorodu Road as well as interconnectivity within Somolu/Bariga and its environs.

The road is an existing alignment which connects Yaba to Somolu, Bariga and The Third Mainland Bridge to link Lagos Island The project, which is about 70 per cent completed, is expected to serve as a good alternative road for motorists, especially the residents of Bariga and Oworonshoki area, reduce travel time, man-hour loss in traffic gridlock, and improve individual economy through an increase in the value of property.