Plans have been finalised for the partial demolition of the Iddo Bridge in Lagos as the Federal Government moves to overhaul the ageing structure, with reconstruction works scheduled to commence next week.
The Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria, Mr Thomas Christl, disclosed this on Sunday during an inspection of the bridge by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi.
Christl said structural assessments had uncovered extensive damage to critical sections of the bridge, making the replacement of three spans unavoidable to guarantee safety and long-term durability.
“Three spans of the existing Iddo Bridge are heavily damaged and must be replaced,” he said.
According to him, the reconstruction would be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to traffic flow. He explained that the two carriageways would be separated, allowing construction to proceed on one side while traffic is diverted to the other.
“What we are doing now is to separate the two directions. By next week, traffic will be diverted to one side of the bridge, while one half will be demolished and rebuilt,” Christl said.
He added that once work on the first section is completed, traffic would be redirected to the newly reconstructed portion, paving the way for the demolition and rebuilding of the second half.
“By the end of March, traffic will likely be moved onto the newly completed side, after which the remaining section will be demolished and reconstructed,” he stated.
Christl further revealed that ancillary works were already ongoing beneath the bridge, including drainage upgrades and improvements to the underpass.
“We have commenced drainage works, and the outfall into the lagoon has already been completed,” he said.
He explained that after the drainage works, the soil beneath the bridge would be excavated to lower the road level, a move aimed at increasing clearance and preventing trucks from crashing into the structure, which he identified as a major cause of past damage.
Speaking on the condition of the bridge, Umahi attributed part of the deterioration to a fire incident caused by illegal activities beneath the structure, which affected several spans.
“Six spans were affected by the fire. What we have done is to re-asphalt one carriageway so that traffic can be fully diverted there, after which three spans on the other carriageway will be removed,” the minister said.
“Once that is completed, traffic will be diverted back, and we will proceed to demolish and reconstruct the second carriageway,” he added.
Umahi disclosed that the reconstruction project, estimated to cost about N15bn, is expected to be completed by June. He noted that a key design improvement involves increasing the bridge’s headroom from about 4.5 metres to the minimum required clearance of 5.6 metres.
“That clearance is critical, and we are working towards achieving it,” he said.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the pace of work so far, noting that a bypass route had already been constructed to ease movement. He, however, warned against delays, saying he had directed engineers to closely monitor the project and provide regular updates to ensure timely completion.
Umahi also assured that upon completion, the Federal Government would install closed-circuit television cameras beneath and on top of the bridge to enhance security, in line with measures already in place on the Third Mainland Bridge.
