The newly constructed General Gas Bridge situated in Akobo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will be opened to commuters by the end of June.
The Site Engineer in charge of the project, Olagunju Olalekan, gave the assurance when the bridge was temporarily opened to road users earlier.
Olagunju said the essence of the temporary opening of the bridge was to allow road users and commuters in the axis to have a feel of what they would be enjoying when the project is finally completed and delivered.
He stated that allowing the road to be used temporarily would also help the earthworks on the bridge have better vehicular compaction, as an added advantage to the compaction earlier done with machines at the site.
Noting that the project is about 80 to 90% complete, he said the project was designed to ease the perennial traffic congestion which has characterised the axis over the years.
Olagunju said; “The temporary opening is just for a few days because we still have some finishing works to do on it, like asphalt laying and some other things. But vehicles have been plying the road for several hours now and the feedback we are getting is impressive and commendable and we are happy as the contractor.
“As we speak, we are left with little adjourning works that we are doing under the bridge, but on the bridge itself, it is 90% completion. The only thing left is just to lay asphalt on it but on the other adjourning route and U-turn, we have little works to do.”
Olagunju stressed that the company should deliver the complete project before the end of the month of June and if the weather is favorable, it would be delivered in the next two or three weeks.
According to him, the partial opening is in line with the directive of the supervision team on the project and part of what is needed to be done in order to have vehicular compaction.
He however appealed to commuters to be patient with the contractors for the next few weekends because the road would be closed again soon for the work to be completed before the project is delivered, explaining that the feedback they have got from the temporary opening showed the high expectations of the people on the completion of the project.
“We urge commuters to endure with us because the feedback we are getting is that they already want to start using it, but we still need to complete the project and make it perfect before they start plying it.
“By the grace of God, all things being equal, if the weather condition is favorable, before the end of this month, we will deliver this project,” Olagunju added.
The construction project is being handled by Peculiar Ultimate Concern Limited.
Olusola Akintonde
