Sanwo-Olu also acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the delay in opening the road and appealed to motorists for patience.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured residents of the state and motorists that the Opebi-Odoiya Alaro Bridge will be opened to traffic before the Christmas and New Year holidays.
He gave the assurance on Sunday in a post shared on X after inspecting the bridge to assess the level of work and establish the reasons for the delay.
This follows delays linked to the installation of a steel monument at the project site.
Sanwo-Olu had earlier announced that the bridge would be ready for use by the end of September, based on the project timeline presented to him.
He wrote: “At a recent media gathering, I said the newly completed Opebi-Odoiya Alaro Bridge would open to traffic by the end of September, based on the work plan presented to me. With work still ongoing, I visited the site today to assess progress and understand the reasons for the delay.”
Sanwo-Olu added: “I assure you that the bridge will be fully operational before the holidays, giving motorists a smoother journey and Lagos a new landmark.”
The governor also explained that the 25-metre steel monument was designed to commemorate the history of Cane Village, which previously occupied the area and was renowned for its cane market.
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He said the structure, featuring four hands weaving cane, was intended to honour the area’s cultural heritage and create a distinctive landmark along the road corridor.
According to Sanwo-Olu, three of the monument’s four steel sections have been assembled and installed, while work on the final component is still in progress.
“The monument is now 80% complete and we need just a few more days to finish the work,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the need to ensure the structure was safely installed had prevented the bridge from opening to motorists as initially planned.
“Safety remains our priority, so we cannot open the road until every section is securely in place,” he stated.
Acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the delay, the governor appealed to motorists for patience, assuring them that the bridge would be operational before the holidays to make journeys along the route smoother.
