Sanwo-Olu Confirms THE WHISTLER’s Report, Says 4th Mainland Bridge Construction Begins First Quarter 2024

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge would begin in the first quarter of this year.

The governor disclosed this on Thursday, during the Lagos West Senatorial District Town Hall Meeting held in Ikeja.

“We’ve done extensive work on the bridge. But we are at the crossroads of where to get the real financing for that kind of project. We’ll need to be very very creative,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“Our commitment is that within this first quarter, meaning that by the end of March or April, we should break grounds to start the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge,” he added.

THE WHISTLER in December, exclusively reported that the state government will begin the construction of the long awaited bridge in the first quarter of this year.

Proposed in 2006, the project is expected to cost about $2.5 billion.

The proposed bridge is about 37 kilometres with a design speed of 140km and spans from Abraham Adesanya in Ajah to the North West towards the Lagoon shoreline of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway through Owutu/Isawo in Ikorodu.

It is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project. Upon completion, it is expected to be the longest bridge in Africa with three toll plazas, nine interchanges and a 4.5km Lagoon Bridge.

Apart from opening new areas of Lagos for future developments, the project is also expected to reduce traffic congestion on the existing Carter, Eko and Third Mainland Bridges.

However, the execution of the project may face some challenges. Lagos State government had in 2015 attributed the delay in the construction of the bridge to issues around compensation, because of the number of buildings along the right of way. And had to redesign it to avoid compensations running into billions.

According to Aramide Adeyoye, a former Special Adviser on Works to Sanwo-Olu, about 800 structures would be affected by the construction of the bridge.

Sanwo-Olu has about three and a half years to complete his tenure. And the 4th Mainland Bridge is one of the legacy projects he intends to complete.

Others are the 2nd phase of the Blue Line rail and Omu Creek Road, which are wholly Lagos State government projects.