$2.5bn 4th Mainland Bridge ready by 2027 ― LASG

Lagos State Government on Friday said the proposed construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge project that will gulp a whooping $2.5billion will be completed in 2027, adding that the official turning of sod for the construction of the project would be done by Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu in the first quarter of 2023.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Mr. Ope George, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engineer, Aramide Adeyoye made this known during a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.

The state government through the Office of PPP, had on Thursday, announced Messrs CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium as the preferred bidder for the construction of the bridge.

Governor Sanwo-Olu had at different fora assured residents of the state government’s readiness to announce the preferred bidder before January 1 2023.

Eight roads– Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Lagos/Abuja highway, Benin/Sagamu, and Igbogbo/Lagos would be aligned with the Fourth Bridge, with the project estimated to cost about $2.5 billion, and be delivered through Public-Private Partnership initiative and tolled for two years.

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 kilometres per hour, including the development of adjacent real estates.

The governor’s aide 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.

Besides, he said the bridge is also expected to span about 37 kilometres, starting from Abraham Adesanya in Ajah, on the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe corridor and traversing the North West towards the Lagoon shoreline of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway via Owutu/Isawo in Ikorodu.

“You will recall that 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,” he said.

Speaking further, George said the bids had now been evaluated and Messrs. CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium emerged as the preferred bidder while Messrs. MOTA-ENGIL (Nigeria &Africa), CCCC & CRBC consortium were shortlisted as the reserved bidders for the Fourth Mainland Bridge project.

Also speaking, Adeyoye added that the bridge would 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 cooperate with the contractor during the construction of the project.