The Lagos State Government has said the proposed construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge project is scheduled to be completed within four years while the official kick-off for the construction of the project, the turning of the surd, will be done by the Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu in the first quarter of 2023.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Private Partnerships, Mr. Ope George, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engineer, Aramide Adeyoye, disclosed this on Friday, during a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
The state government through the Office of Public-Private Partnerships had on Thursday, announced Messrs CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium as the preferred bidder for the construction of the bridge.
Eight roads– Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Lagos/Abuja highway, Benin/Sagamu, and Igbogbo/Lagos would aligned with the Fourth Bridge.
The project, estimated to cost about $2.5 billion, would be delivered through Public-Private Partnership initiative and tolled for two years, the government said.
Omotoso, said 800 identified persons, whose properties would be affected by the project, would be adequately compensated.
According to George, the Fourth Mainland Bridge (4MB) Project, which is a proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP) transport infrastructure development, will comprise of the construction and operation of a greenfield tolled road and bridge with a design speed of 120 kilometre per hour, including the development of adjacent real estates.
He added that the bridge, when completed, would become the second longest in Africa with three toll plazas, nine interchanges, a 4.5 kilometre Lagoon Bridge and an eco-friendly environment.
It is also expected to span about 37 kilometres, starting from Abraham Adesanya in Ajah, on the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe corridor and traverse the North West towards the Lagoon shoreline of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway via Owutu/Isawo in Ikorodu.
According to George: “The Lagos State Government commenced a Competitive Bidding process for the selection of a Concessionaire, by the issuance of the Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) on 27th of November, 2019. A total of 52 responses were received with 32 being responsive.
“Subsequently, a Request for Quotation (RFQ) was issued on February 10, 2020 to the 32 eligible applicants and responses were received on 15th April, 2020 with a total of 15 responses. Upon evaluation, six bidders met the criteria to progress to the Request for Proposal (RfP) stage.”
George, explained that the bids have now been evaluated and Messrs. CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium emerged as the preferred bidder while the Messrs. MOTA-ENGIL (NIGERIA &AFRICA), CCCC & CRBC CONSORTIUM, also shortlisted as the reserved bidder for the Fourth Mainland Bridge project.
Adeyoye added that the bridge will reduce congestion on the existing Carter, Eko and Third Mainland Bridges while opening new areas of the City for future developments.
She said the state government had carried along the over 48 estates, traditional rulers and others that would be affected by the bridge.
Adeyoye said the negative impact of the bridge was minimal compared to the advantages, urging those anxious for the project to take off to be patient and corporate with the contractor during the construction of the project.
