EKO Atlantic City unveils street lights

Investors in the Eko Atlantic and residents of the areas adjoining it can now behold the beauty of the new city emerging from the ocean following the unveiling of special street lighting that illuminates the skyline at night.

The developers of the city say from Ahmadu Bello Way on Victoria Island and the Marina on Lagos Island, the first residential and commercial tower blocks under construction can now be clearly seen even at night.

The Managing Director, South Energyx Nigeria Limited, developers of the new city, Mr. David Frame, said the special LED lighting was meant to herald a new dawn in Eko Atlantic City and showcase, the massive construction work going on there but not visible to those who had never visited the site.

“But now there is something new to see at night time after a section of the new road in the emerging city was illuminated by streetlights. Eko Atlantic’s road system is rolling out more and more each day but it is the first time any of the internal city routes have been lit,” Frame said.

According to him, the first row of lights along the Eko Boulevard, a paved eight-lane thoroughfare that is over a mile long and is the spine of the Business District, will be extended in 2015 as the developers forge ahead with infrastructure development.

“Presently, concrete block paved roads, spacious sidewalks and kerbs are being built in the first and second phases of the Eko Atlantic City. The project development area is now so large and progressing so quickly that it won’t be long before we need internal road signs to drive around,” Frame added.

South Energyx said about 10 per cent of the city’s roads in phases 1 and 2 had been paved, while 32 per cent had stone-base in place, providing access to motor vehicles, with about 25 per cent of the roads defined with kerb lines.

Besides, 56 per cent of storm water drainage has been installed along with 34 per cent of state-of-the-art communications, while 50 per cent of the sewage distribution network and 36 per cent of the water supply network are already completed.

The managing director said, “We are very satisfied that the street lighting has come on as this represents another important step in the successful development of Eko Atlantic City. All what our consultant, Messrs Dar Al-Handasah Consulting Engineering, put in place is to ensure that the city will meet our vision for the new city.

“For those still in the dark about what Eko Atlantic City is all about, the planned city is being constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean along the Lagos Bar Beach. It is expected that when completed, the new island will be home to about 400,000 residents, with a daily flow of 250,000 commuters.”

The 10-square-kilometre city is expected to satisfy financial, commercial, residential and tourism needs, with a state-of-the-art high-tech infrastructure in line with modern and environmental standards.

Residents of the city will enjoy modern water, waste management, security and transportation systems as well as an independent power generated specifically for the city.

This item originally appeared on Punch news