Third Mainland Bridge closure: road users applaud agencies on smooth traffic

Motorists and other road users on Friday poured praises on traffic management agencies for sustaining smooth traffic flow, in spite of the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge.

The 11.8km bridge was closed to traffic on Aug. 23 for maintenance. The closure had sparked fears that Lagos would face a traffic lock down.

The `investigative maintenance test’ is expected to last for three days between Aug. 24 and Aug. 26.

Our correspondent monitoring, reports that traffic was smooth on the Lagos-Abeokuta highway from Iyana-Ipaja through Agege Motor Road.

The correspondent reports that traffic also flowed on Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge through Apongbon to the Lagos Mainland.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), FRSC and the police could be seen directing traffic at various areas, including Ijora Olopa Bus Stop.

Speaking on the matter, a business woman, Mrs Tosin Amos, told NAN that she experienced free flow of traffic from Dopemu to Idumota Market on the Lagos Island.

“It is only traffic light that stopped us around Mushin, the road is very free. The people controlling traffic are trying.

“But I also feel that a lot of people have not returned to Lagos from the sallah holiday,” she said.

A commercial motorist, Mr Segun Daramola, who plies the Ojo-Alaba to CMS route, told our correspondent that the free traffic flow was amazing for a city that had witnessed gridlocks for months.

Daramola said that he drove from Sango-Ota in Ogun to the Island without major obstruction.

“I am happy that all the roads are free. From Ojo-Alaba down to Costain is free. LASTMA, police and road safety people are everywhere.

An NURTW official, who oversees Contain Bus Stop and the National Theatre area, Mr Sule Osho, commended the agencies.

“Look at all the bridges, they are free. There are no congestions on the bridges at all.

“Congestion on Eko Bridge or Carter Bridge cannot hide, the spillover are always spontaneous but I give kudos to the officials.

A civil servant, who identified herself simply as Chinwe, said that the roads were free, contrary to fears of road users.

“I drove all the way from Ago Palaceway to the Island and there was no single traffic snarl. I thank all officials manning traffic on the roads,” she said.

However, another civil servant, Mr Louis Chukwudubem, attributed the free traffic flow to lower population because some residents had travelled for the sallah holiday and had yet to return.

“Schools are on holidays and some people that travelled for sallah are not back. All the same, the people directing traffic are working,” he said.

Assistant Corps Commander of the FRSC, Hauwa Olowookere, told NAN that the success recorded was due to adequate planning.

She said that a committee, comprising traffic regulatory and law enforcement agencies, set up by the Federal Ministry of Works were working in synergy to ensure free flow of traffic.

“The traffic control sub-committee set up by the Lagos federal controller of works, FRSC, LASEMA, RLU, Civil Defense, LASTMA, police have been working together to ensure free traffic flow.”

Olowookere, however, appealed to road users to continue to cooperate with traffic managers and law enforcement agencies to sustain sanity on the roads.