The Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in company of his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, formally commissioned the Yaba overpass bridge on Thursday.
According to a statement signed by Sanwo-Olu’s spokesperson, Gboyega Akosile, the overpass bridge is part of the Red Line project.
“There are five overpass bridges constructed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to eliminate the interaction between vehicular traffic and train services,” Akosile said.
He added that three out of the four remaining bridges have already been completed and would ready for commissioning in a few weeks.
Akosile stated that the fourth bridge, which is in the Mushin area of Lagos State, would be ready before the end of the year.
The spokesman to the Lagos State Governor also said that the red line services, when fully operational, would transport more than one million passengers daily.
Meanwhile, a Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, in his post on X (formerly Twitter) said the Yaba Flyover Bridge Project is one of the flyovers built under the Lagos Red Line Rail Project.
“That canopy-like structure is the Yaba Bus Station, which was commissioned by Governor #jidesanwoolu on June 15, 2021, and is linked to the Yaba Train Station for the Red Line Rail,” Gawat said.
He stated that the markets are being cleared off, and a vast pedestrian area will be created.
“From Jibowu, you can take the flyover into Ojuelegba Road and vice versa. You can also drive from Tejuoso to link Muritala Muhammed easily through the flyover,” Gawat explained.
“This will reduce train and vehicular interaction, thereby reducing accidents too. The Red Line Rail will move at almost every moment, and the tracks will be much busier.”
According to the managing director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engineer Abimbola Akinjo, who also spoke at the launch of the Yaba flyover bridge, the overpass bridge will put a permanent end to incessant accidents at level crossings.
Akinjo added that it will also help to facilitate unhindered movement for the Red Line trains, whose frequency will be very high.
“We have completed three of the overpasses, Oyingbo, Yaba, and Ikeja, with the one in Mushin due for completion by the end of the year,” she said.
