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Friday, April 13, 2007
Bridge pier falls; new span to cost P300 million
By Ben O. Tesiorna, Carlo P. Mallo, and Grace L. Plata
DAVAO CITY -- A new bridge that will cost the government some P300 million will be constructed in place of the old Bankerohan span in Davao City after one of its posts collapsed Thursday morning.
The bridge, which was closed to traffic after the incident, was found to be in a "very dangerous state" during an inspection Thursday by a team of experts from the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
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The bridge's closure caused monstrous traffic jams along McArthur Highway in Matina and Quirino avenues in the downtown area and at Quimpo Boulevard, near Sandawa and Bolton Bridge, forcing some motorists from the south to take the Diversion Road.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte assured Dabawenyos that a new bridge will be built immediately, saying Bankerohan Bridge (Governor Generoso Bridge 1), which traverses the Davao River, is one of the main arteries in the flow of mobility in the city.
He said the bridge's closure will adversely affect the flow of traffic and mobility to and from the city.
DPWH assistant regional director for constructions operation Reynaldo Tamayo said they received reports about the collapse of the bridge's pier at around 6 a.m. Thursday.
Tamayo immediately created a team to conduct an inspection.
The team, Tamayo said, found the bridge in dangerous state.
He then ordered the closure of the old bridge and the demolition of the collapsed pier to prevent the possible collapse of the five remaining posts.
Tamayo said the collapse could have been triggered by the earthquake last Holy Week, although the structure was also already old since it was constructed in 1947.
He said they proposed the demolition of the whole bridge and construction of a new one.
He added that the budget proposal for the project is pegged at P300 million.
"It will take about one year or more for us to construct the new bridge, depending on the availability of funds," Tamayo said.
DPWH assistant regional director Pundidato Matmug said the new bridge will have a new design and will be higher than the old one.
Matmug explained that it would take a year for the new bridge to be constructed. The bridge holds water pipes and electric and communication lines.
Based on their initial investigation, Matmug said the concrete of the bridge was way beyond the expiration date.
He said the concrete used has a lifespan of only 25 years. The bridge is already 58 years old.
Matmug also tasked district engineers to check on other bridges in the city and report those that need repairs.
DPWH-Southern Mindanao officer-in-charge Manuel Bonoan assured Duterte that funds would be released immediately in order to hasten the construction of the new bridge.
House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles also said the Arroyo administration is willing to provide the funds for the rehabilitation of the old bridge or the construction of a new span.
Nograles said he ask President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for funding for the bridge. The construction of a new bridge must be done immediately and should be exempted from the election ban, he added.
"(There is) no election ban when public safety is the reason. Public welfare is supreme over public works ban. Or else we have to outlaw calamities like storms and earthquakes," Nograles said.
Traffic Management Center Chief Celso Gempesaw immediately ordered the deployment of more personnel to augment those already in the area to ease the traffic situation. The traffic group also employed a detour plan.
Traffic advisories have been put on roads, along McArthur Highway, Quimpo Boulevard in the south and JP Laurel to Central bank in the North, to inform the public about the bridge's repair so an alternative route could be planned.
All trucks coming from the south are also barred from entering the city center.
"The trucks must make a left turn near Lonbisco and pass through Diversion road should they want to enter the city proper," Gempesaw said.
Trucks coming from the north will also be sent advisories, but Gempesaw said most of them stop at the Chinatown area.
Gempesaw said the present measures they have put up will suffice for the moment but the Traffic Management Center will still look for ways to help improve the situation. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (April 13, 2007 issue)
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