The Lagos State Government on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the the construction of the 38-kilometre 4th Mainland Bridge.
, expected to bring a 14-year-old dream to reality. The bridge, which has been on the drawing board since 2002, is expected to gulp N844 billion.
The project is conceived to be birthed under a Public Private Partnership initiative and is expected to come on stream in three years.
Speaking at the signing held at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the need for the bridge had become imperative following the phenomenal growth of the state with a population of over 21 million people, which has in turn increased commercial activities and traffic gridlock.
“This has made it imperative for us to have a 4th Mainland Bridge that will serve as an alternative route to the eastern axis and de-congest traffic in the state. More importantly, this bridge will provide the required transportation complement to the rapidly growing industrial activities on the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe corridor of the state,” the governor said.
According to him, the proposed alignment of the bridge will pass through Lekki, Langbasa and Baiyeku towns along the shoreline of the Lagos Lagoon, further running through Igbogbo River Basin and crossing the Lagos Lagoon estuaries to Ita-Maga Area in Ikorodu.
The governor said the alignment will also take the bridge through the Itoikin Road and the Ikorodu-Sagamu Road to connect Isawo inward Lagos Ibadan Expressway at Ojodu Berger axis. He said the bridge would be made up of eight interchanges to facilitate effective inter-connectivity between different parts of the state.
He said, “It will be a four-lane dual carriageway, with each comprising three lanes and two metres hard shoulder on each side. The bridge will be constructed to have a generous median to allow for both future carriageway expansion and light rail facility. “There is no gainsaying the fact that huge benefits will be derived from this project, but most importantly it will make life more comfortable for Lagosians.”
The project is to boost economic activities along its corridor, is to be financed by the Africa Finance Corporation, Access Bank and other private investors, while Visible Assets Limited would be the coordinating firm.
