The City Council of Lagos decreed, in the early hours of this Saturday morning, the ban on all circulation of the D. Maria II Bridge, one of the main access routes to the city and connection to the marina, after having learned of the conclusions of an inspection made by LNEC – National Laboratory of Civil Engineering.
According to a statement from the municipality, following the request for an inspection of the D. Maria II Bridge, presented by the Municipality of Lagos to LNEC, yesterday, February 10, an inspection was carried out to that bridge.
The preliminary report that the City Council had access to at the end of yesterday afternoon reveals that, during the inspection, “serious damage was detected in the first two arches, counted from the left bank, resulting from the settlement of the first pillar. The damages correspond to cracking along the entire width of these arches, with a significant change in their geometry».
According to the technical team that analyzed the situation, cited by the Chamber, "the observed anomalies significantly compromise the resistance capacity of these arches, making it possible for them to collapse abruptly".
For this reason, LNEC recommended the interdiction of the D. Maria II Bridge to traffic and pedestrians, until the works necessary for its consolidation are carried out.
«In possession of this information, and considering the safety of people and goods, in a structure that registers a heavy daily use, the City Council immediately decided to close the D. Maria II Bridge, thus prohibiting circulation not only of vehicles, such as pedestrians'.
The municipality informs that this measure was implemented in the early hours of this morning, Saturday, February 11, with the necessary changes in traffic and signaling, and will be in force "until the required safety conditions are restored".
The Câmara de Lagos adds that this information will be updated as soon as there is new data available, «namely on the creation of alternative routes and/or temporary works that allow to minimize the impact of the ban on circulation on the D. Maria II Bridge».
The municipality states that it is aware of "the inevitable inconvenience that this temporary situation will cause in the daily lives of users of this area (residents and visitors)", but calls for "the understanding and collaboration of all".
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