EKO NEWS

Lagos Red Line Rail Gets A Boost As Sanwo-Olu Opens Oyingbo Flyover To Traffic

Published

1 year ago

Nov 5, 2023.

Aerial view of the newly built Oyingbo Overpass of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, commissioned on Sunday, 05 November 2023. Inset (l-r): Managing Director, LAMATA, Engr. (Mrs) Abimbola Akinajo; chairman, Lagos House of Assembly committee on Transport, Hon. Temitope Adewale; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu during the commissioning of the Oyingbo Overpass.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, opened the T-shaped Oyingbo Overpass Bridge to traffic, marking the delivery of another ancillary infrastructure of Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line.

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, on invitation of Sanwo-Olu, commissioned the project undertaken by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

The inauguration of Oyingbo Flyover came three days after Yaba Flyover – another key Red Line infrastructure – was commissioned by Sanwo-Olu.

The Oyingbo Flyover serves as a major transit link between Lagos Island and Mainland, ascending from Murtala Mohammed Way in Ebute Metta and dropping traffic into two separate arterial roads – Iddo and Costain.

According to a statement on the state government’s website, the project solved vehicular congestions and delays, which hampered free movement in the vicinity. “The overpass also eliminated pedestrian and vehicular interference on the rail tracks, significantly reducing the risk of accidents and collisions between trains and vehicles,” it adds.

Aerial view of the newly built Oyingbo Overpass of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, commissioned on Sunday, 05 November 2023. Inset (L-R): Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and Managing Director, LAMATA, Engr. (Mrs) Abimbola Akinajo during the commissioning of the Oyingbo Overpass.

Sanwo-Olu said the investment would not only enhance uninterrupted flow of vehicular traffic at level crossings along the Red Line corridor, but the infrastructure would also improve commerce and life quality of the residents.

“Today, we are opening another Overpass Bridge constructed to ensure safety of lives and uninterrupted flow of vehicular traffic at level crossings along the Red Line. This key project, which is the second of the five bridges undertaken by Lagos State Government along the rail corridor, has been delivered in Oyingbo, famous for being a thriving centre of commerce,” he said.

“The siting of this infrastructure in this area is strategic and intentional to achieve a seamless integrated intermodal transport system for the people. Oyingbo Flyover is an important bridge connecting Oyingbo Station of the Lagos Red Line to the Oyingbo Bus Station. The infrastructure has also opened new connectivity for motorists and commuters going to the Island from the Mainland.”

The governor said the opening of Oyingbo Bridge came at the right time in view of the announced maintenance work on Third Mainland Bridge, which prompted the closure of Ebute Metta sections serving as passageways for motorists going to Lagos Island.

Aerial view of the newly built Oyingbo Overpass of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, commissioned on Sunday, 05 November 2023.

Oyingbo Flyover, Sanwo-Olu said, will now provide alternative routes to access Lagos Island. He warned against misuse of the facility, stressing that the State Government would not tolerate illegal activities, including trading, under the bridge.

He noted that the contract for the bridge had not only harnessed the local engineering expertise, the infrastructure had also enabled skill transfer and developed local engineering solutions.

The governor disclosed that students of engineering from tertiary institutions based in Lagos were engaged throughout the period of the construction for them to learn and derive value.

L-R: Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu and traditional rulers during the commissioning of the newly built Oyingbo Overpass of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, on Sunday, 05 November 2023.

On his part, Oyebanji said Lagos had become a model for transformative leadership, progressive reforms and good governance, praising Sanwo-Olu for fulfilling his electoral promise to the people.

“The commissioning of this massive infrastructure project speaks to what is possible when you have a thinking leadership and a government that works with a vision at the helm,” the Ekiti governor stated.

“We have seen Lagos evolve to become a great city under the grand vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who laid the foundation for the development initiatives being implemented by his successors in Lagos.

“Ekiti State has a lot to learn from Lagos in terms of creating a practicable development vision that will be passed on to successive administration.

“This is the first time, in several years, which Ekiti is witnessing unbroken transition to Government by same political party. Ekiti is toeing the same path, as we are committed to build on the foundation laid by my predecessor.”