All nat’l roads, bridges affected by earthquake now accessible

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar announced yesterday that all national roads and bridges affected by earthquakes are now accessible to the public.

“The DPWH Quick Response Teams were able to assess, fix, and open various roads, bridges, and other infrastructure that were damaged by the recent earthquakes in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Villar noted.

Villar noted that immediately after the tremors, DPWH Quick Response Teams with equipment were deployed to undertake structural assessment and ensure safety of national roads and public buildings in Regions III, IV-A, National Capital Region, Eastern Visayas, Surigao del Norte, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

“As early as Wednesday afternoon, we were able to repair and open Consuelo Bridge in Floridablanca, Pampanga to light vehicles. Assessments of other infrastructure are also being conducted in the entire Central Luzon,” said Secretary Villar.

DPWH has also opened the East Lateral Mega Dike in Bacolor, the Floridablanca-Consuelo Bridge, and the Sasmuan-Lubao Road.

In Metro Manila, the section of UN Avenue, in front of Emilio Aguinaldo College is still cordoned off to one lane to prevent possible impact to passing vehicles of the leaning building.

DPWH has also conducted inspection on 275 national bridges, flyovers, and viaducts, 452 school buildings, and 142 other public buildings in NCR, following the April 22 quake.

Based on the DPWH-NCR Report, three out of the 275 bridges that were inspected have sustained minor defects namely: Guadalupe Bridge in Makati City with crack on girder; and the Tinejeros and Tanza Bridges in Malabon City with minor cracks at railings.

A total of 53 school buildings in Metro Manila have also sustained minor defects that are mostly cracks on walls, columns, beams, and ceiling, but three school buildings were recommended for immediate structural evaluation.

According to Secretary Villar, DPWH is coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) for the restoration especially of structures with major damage.

Villar said the department recently developed an Equipment Prepositioning and Mobilization Contingency Plan that will facilitate immediate and effective response in the event that the “The Big One” occurs in Mega Manila.