Third Mainland Bridge
| Third Mainland Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Carries | Vehicular Traffic |
| Crosses |
Lagos Lagoon (connects Lagos Island to Lagos Mainland) |
| Locale | Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Official name | Ibrahim Babangida Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 11.8 km |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Julius Berger |
| Opened | 1990 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | very high |
| Toll | No |
The Third Mainland Bridge is the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, the other two being the Eko and Carter bridges. It was the longest bridge in Africa until 1996 when the 6th October Bridge located in Cairo was completed. The bridge starts from Oworonshoki which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi express way and Lagos-Ibadan express way, and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island. There is also a link midway through the bridge that leads to the Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba. The bridge was built by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC and opened by President Ibrahim Babangida in 1990; it measures about 11.8 km in length.
By 2006, Many commuters had reported that the Third Mainland Bridge was vibrating noticeably, indicating that it needed urgent attention. As a result, remedial work was commenced on the portions of the bridge at different times, leading to partial closure of the bridge at different times. As at January 2013, this work has been completed.
Recently, there have been rumours of cracks on the bridge. This, however, has been denied by authorities, but has been reopened. The eight-lane bridge experienced a new look during the last repairing exercise, painting the bridge guide with the colour of Nigeria green, white, green, and also general painting was carried out for a new look. The repair works on the bridge has been completed and was opened on 30 October 2012.
The Third Mainland Bridge has very high vehicular traffic on weekdays, as many residents commute to and from the Lagos Mainland to the Island which is the commercial hub of Lagos State. Residents in Ikeja, Agboyi-Ketu, Ikorodu, Isheri, Oworonshoki, Gbagada, Yaba, Maryland and Oshodi. The Third Mainland Bridge is an essential part of Lagos' daily commuting, and as such requires to be constantly renovated. It has also come to become a major Lagos icon, offering different views of Lagos - the Lagos Lagoon, the University of Lagos Waterfront and Makoko, a shanty town built on the Lagos Lagoon.
Coordinates: 6°30′00″N 3°24′05″E / 6.50000°N 3.40139°E
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