Lagos State Government has announced the diversion of traffic at the Maryland/Mende underpass from Tuesday, September 20.
The traffic diversion is to create a way for the continuation of the Opebi-Ojota link bridge project which is currently being undertaken by the state government.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, who said that the move was to ensure the construction of the bridge is not affected.
The statement partly reads, “In continuation of the Opebi/Ojota link bridge construction, the Lagos State Government will be diverting traffic from Maryland/Mende Underpass from Tuesday 20th September 2022.’’
The commissioner assured alternative routes have been mapped out to ease movement during the course of the reconstruction of the underpass, advising motorists to use the Ojota Interchange to connect Maryland and its environs.
Oladeinde also urged motorists heading to the inner streets of the axis to make use of Mobolaji Bank Anthony to access Emmanuel, Aderibigbe Shitta and Adeoye Adeyemi Streets, while those heading towards Mende and its environs can use Mende Street to link Ajose Street and connect Oki lane to continue their journey.
In a related development, Oladeinde announced that the repairs of a section of the Lagos Bound lane at the Iyana Era/Badagry Expressway scheduled for September 17 have been postponed till further notice due to unforeseen circumstances, adding that the new date will be communicated to the public.
He commended motorists for their patience and cooperation, reaffirming that personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority will be deployed to the affected routes to minimize inconveniences.
The state government also asked Lagos residents for cooperation as the gains of the ongoing projects will ameliorate the traffic challenges in the nation’s commercial capital.
It would recalled that the construction of the Opebi-Ojota link bridge and approach roads was flagged off on January 26, 2022, by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who described the project as another milestone in the implementation of the Traffic Management and Transportation Pillar of his administration’s THEMES Developmental Agenda and the State Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).
The Opebi- Ojota Link Bridge, which is one of the legacy projects of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, is aimed at easing the burden of commuters and decongesting traffic in the Ikeja axis and on Ikorodu road by providing a direct link between Opebi, Mende, Maryland and Ojota to Ikorodu road, reducing the perennial traffic on Mobolaji Bank-Anthony way, and setting precedence for Ojota commuters to link the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
The state government had earlier in July 2022, hinted that the 3.9km Opebi-Ojota link bridge would be completed by June 2023
