Works Minister, Dave Umahi, has raised concerns about the persistent application of asphalt to the Third Mainland Bridge, warning that this practice could lead to vehicles overturning.
Umahi, who spoke on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Friday, explained that the bridge is designed to carry a two-inch asphalt overlay, but over the years, maintenance crews have added up to 12 inches of asphalt in some areas.
“You see, each carriageway of the Third Mainland Bridge is 14 meters, which means that each carriageway is two standard carriageways.
“So, we are dealing with 14 carriageways. What has happened is that in engineering design, there is what is called a dead load, and the asphalt is a dead load. What that bridge [design] is meant to carry is two inches of overlay asphalt.”
Speaking further, the minister said “But over the years, in the course of maintenance, when a portion of it is scratched, what will happen is that they will come and clean it up and put another asphalt on it.”
“So, we have an asphalt thickness of between four and twelve inches. So, if you are riding on that Third Mainland Bridge, you will see that you are on a superelevation, and that is dangerous. It can cause overturning. And again, it [Third Mainland Bridge] is not designed to carry that dead load.”
The third mainland bridge is one of the busiest in Africa, carrying over 200,000 vehicles per day. It is also a vital link between Lagos Island and the mainland, making it essential for the city’s economy and transportation system.
