Key Points
- Federal Government plans to complete the Carter Bridge reconstruction within 24 months, ahead of the original 36-month schedule.
- Works Minister Dave Umahi says the 1.58km bridge has suffered structural deterioration after decades of inadequate maintenance.
- Reconstruction will include additional ramps, a cable-stayed section and measures to protect the bridge foundations from erosion and scouring.
Main Story
The Federal Government has set a 24-month target for completing the reconstruction of the Carter Bridge in Lagos, bringing forward the original 36-month completion schedule.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced the revised timeline on Monday during an inspection of the Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge projects in Lagos.
Umahi said the government was accelerating the Carter Bridge project because of the structure’s importance to traffic movement in the state.
The bridge, which stretches about 1.58km, has been in service for more than six decades. The minister said an underwater survey found significant deterioration in its foundations, including piles that had become detached from their pile caps.
He attributed the condition of the bridge to prolonged inadequate maintenance, rust, scouring and illegal sand mining.
He revealed that the Federal Government has completed a new design for the reconstruction, incorporating features intended to improve traffic movement and strengthen the structure.
The redesigned bridge would have additional ramps, while its two carriageways will be arranged at different levels. A cable-stayed section would also be incorporated to provide the clearance required for navigation.
The contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), has completed about 15 per cent of preliminary work, including establishing the project yard and constructing access roads.
Umahi said piling was expected to begin before the end of the week.
The government is also introducing protective measures, including gabions, around the bridge foundations to reduce the effects of erosion and scouring.
Carter Bridge will remain operational during the reconstruction because of its importance to Lagos traffic. Umahi said the existing structure would therefore be monitored and maintained while construction continues.
He said similar measures were being applied to the Third Mainland Bridge to extend its service life.
The minister expressed confidence that the reconstructed Carter Bridge could remain in service for more than 100 years because of the engineering features incorporated into the new design.
The Issues
The reconstruction comes after decades of use and structural deterioration on a bridge that remains important to movement within Lagos.
The government faces the challenge of carrying out major reconstruction without completely shutting the bridge, given the potential impact of a full closure on traffic across the city.
The project will also require continued protection of the bridge foundations from factors such as erosion and scouring that have contributed to structural damage.
What’s Being Said
“Carter Bridge has stayed for over 60 to 70 years with no maintenance.”
— Dave Umahi, Minister of Works
“The lifespan of every bridge is about 50 years, and what we found out from the underwater survey is that a lot of the piles had detached from the pile caps.”
— Dave Umahi, Minister of Works
“We are going to be flying one carriageway over the other, increasing the number of ramps to decongest traffic towards the ramp sections.”
— Dave Umahi, Minister of Works
What’s Next
CCECC is expected to commence piling on the Carter Bridge project after completing its preliminary works and site preparations.
On the Iddo Bridge, Dare said the contractor had replaced three failed spans, numbered 13, 14 and 15. The completed section is expected to reopen to traffic after the concrete cures, after which work will move to the other section.
Drainage and Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement works on the Iddo Bridge project were reported to be about 90 per cent complete, with the intervention expected to be finished within two months.
Bottom Line
The Federal Government is bringing forward the Carter Bridge reconstruction timeline to 24 months while keeping the existing bridge open to traffic. The project will combine structural replacement with new ramps, a cable-stayed section and additional foundation protection, while parallel work continues on the Iddo Bridge.
