LOKO – OWETO BRIDGE

LOKO – OWETO BRIDGE IS LOCATED ACROSS RIVER BENUE, IN BENUE AND NASARAWA STATES IN NIGERIA

The Loko – Oweto Bridge links Benue and Nasarawa States and makes it easier for people from Benue South to reach Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The bridge, constructed by Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), is a major linking point on the federal highway that runs through the middle of the country from North to South, cutting through many states, from Kaduna up North, down through Nasarawa, Benue and to Enugu in the  South East.

This pair of bridges have a total length of approximately 1835m and are a build up of 20 typical, 85m long interior spans and two 67m long end spans. 

Completed in March 2022, the Oju/Loko-Oweto Bridge features major structural improvements that ensure a durable and reliable roadway residents and businesses can depend on for years to come.

The new Oju/Loko-Oweto Bridge significantly reduces travel time for millions of commuters and commercial vehicles and supports economic growth and development in Oju, Loko, Oweto and the surrounding communities.

Before the Oju/Loko-Oweto Bridge was built, a journey by car from Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to Enugu, the capital of Enugu State, took about 6 hours. Now, with the 1,835-meter-long bridge in place, it only takes 3.5.

The bridge is part of a road network that includes the 106 kilometers road from Oweto to Otukpo and the 76 kilometers road from the Loko to Nasarawa.

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Works and Housing entered a joint venture with SBI Holdings International AG through its subsidiary, Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria (RCC), to construct a dual carriageway bridge over the River Benue linking Oju/Loko (in Nasarawa State) to Oweto (in Benue State).

SBI managed every aspect of the project—from planning and financing to design and construction.

They were designed with reinforced concrete segments and constructed using a form traveler, with the balanced cantilever method.

The typical segment length is about 5m, whilst the deck depth varies from 4.5m above the piers to 2.3m deep at the mid span.

Features of the Loko – Oweto Bridge

● Construction of two two-lane dual carriageway bridges

● Construction of two two-lane approach roads, one on the Loko end and one on the Oweto end

● Construction of an island road in between the two bridges

● Provision and installation of street lights

● Construction of precast concrete pipe culverts

● Construction of earthworks and concrete works

● Reinforcement of the bridge’s structures