Ahead of AG Dangote, Julius Berger begin rehabilitation on alternative route

AG Dangote and Julius Berger Construction Companies have begun rehabilitating Leventis Road in Apapa that will serve as the alternative route when the Apapa/Ijora Bridge is closed for repairs.

The Federal Controller Works, Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, who disclosed this development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday said that this was to facilitate vehicular movements there.

Kuti said that AG Dangote Construction Company Limited had completed constructing the concrete slab while Julius Berger was carrying out palliatives on parts of the roaD.

“AG Dangote Construction Company Limited has already completed the concrete slab on the road but it needs 28 days to cure before vehicles can run on it.

“However, Julius Berger is currently carrying out palliatives on the pot holes and the bad portions to enhance smooth flow of traffic before we close the Apapa/Ijora Bridge for repairs.

“The vehicles coming toward the diversion will have to climb the slab before they can enter into Leventis Road, so the work the two contractors are doing is very important,’’ he said.

Kuti said that the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing would not close the bridge to traffic until it had perfected plans for minimum traffic impacts within the axis.

He said that there was a meeting attended by all the relevant stakeholders and they came up with a map that would aid effective traffic management and avert gridlock.

Kuti said that the traffic consultant on the Apapa-Wharf Road Project would also be at alert to tackle all traffic related issues while the closure of the bridge lasted.

NAN correspondents who visited the site reports that Julius Berger had placed diversion signs around the areas where it was removing asphalt.

NAN also observed some freshly patched portions with asphalt.

NAN also reports that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, had on Aug. 5, 2016, inspected the dilapidated Apapa/Ijora Bridge which was damaged by fire.

The effect of the fire exposed some of the steel used in constructing some of the layers of the bridge and made it to cave.

Fashola, after a meeting with relevant stakeholders on Aug. 7, 2016, ordered the immediate closure of the bridge.

Julius Berger moved to site the following day to begin emergency repair works.

Julius Berger later carried out an impact assessment of the bridge and it advised the Federal Government to embark on its permanent repairs.