Its been Four days and counting since the official announcement that a side of the Festac Link Bridge should be closed.
This announcement which was made on the 20th December 2017 by the Lagos State Government with reasons being to test the integrity of the side of the bridge where the Festac Fire Inferno occurred lately.
The closure, according to government, was as a result of expert advice by the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure that the integrity of a section of the bridge was in doubt, and therefore needed to be closed down for repairs.
Reacting to this decision are the people who are facing countless hours of Traffic going into and coming out of Festac Town.
This is untold hardship and difficulty especially during this festive period. Only one side of the bridge is being utilized for both ways of vehicular movement.
The link bridge has been a major alternative for road users going to Alakija and beyond due to the road expansion construction going on on Lagos-Badagry expressway. The heavy vehicular movements has taken it’s toll on the only available side of the link bridge.
Speaking to some residents
This is terrible for me,I spend nothing less than two hours trying to get into festac and out of festac . its wasting My Time. – Mr Okorie Lamented.
The annoying part is that nothing is being done about the closed section of the Bridge. If you are closing the road, we need to see immediate action taken so as to be sure its for a good reason – Yetunde Cried out.
The annoying part is that we are facing fuel scarcity and now adding this to it is really unfair, It seems the government has forsaken us and left us to our Fate. – Mrs Kalejaiye Commented.
We Hope the government swing into action soonest to do whatever is meant to be done in order to ease the pains of individuals coming into Festac Town via the Link Bridge.
General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olawale Musa, in a statement, said the precautionary decision was taken in order to save lives and properties of motorists and other users of the Amuwo Odofin- FESTAC Link Bridge.
Immediately after the Incident , The side of the bridge was closed and days after the ban on use of the road was lifted.
Sadly residents woke-up again to the saddening news of going back to the using just one side of the bridge for movements.
The path meant for vehicular movement info the town is now what is being used for going in and coming out further worsening movements of residents and visitors of the estate being restricted to the use of one lane of the bridge.
According to them, the LGA had been advised by road contractors to stop the movement of vehicles on the affected side to avert sudden collapse.
So do you think the bridge is at the risk of a collapse ?
The residents of Amuwo Odofin believe that the traffic jam problem can be solved if some strict measures are taken.
According to some engineers, it would take another 10 years before such sudden collapse, citing high-quality materials used for the construction of the bridge. Though a few superficial cracks were observed underneath the bridge.
Do you live in Festac ? Visited Lately ? Experienced the Difficulty ? Kindly narrate your experiences below in the comment box or Whatsapp 07037373762