PALO,Leyte---The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Southern Leyte is negotiating with Philippine Ports Authority and local government units for a temporary use of ports to avoid disruption of traffic and transport of goods between Luzon and Mindanao while the Liloan Bridge undergoes retrofitting.
Eduardo Santos, district engineer of DPWH Southern Leyte Second District Engineering Office, said his office has coordinated with PPA and the municipal governments of Maasin City and the towns of San Juan and Padre Burgos to open their ports for ferry boats traversing Southern Leyte and Lipata, Surigao del Norte.
Two ports in Southern Leyte – Liloan and Benit, both located in Panaon Island – are serving the Southern Leyte-Surigao route with Liloan having heavier traffic.
On February 19, DPWHSL 2nd DEO announced the closure of the right-side lane of Liloan Bridge due to severe corrosion of several steel components. It also set a maximum weight limit of 5 tons for vehicles than can use the bridge.
This affected the buses and trucks travelling from Metro Manila going to Mindanao and vice versa many of them carrying cargoes that are two or three times heavier than the maximum weight limit set.
“We proposed utilizing the Port of Maasin, Padre Burgos and San Juan, Southern Leyte as alternative docking points for such vehicles to facilitate smoother and safer transport of their goods and services,” Santos said. He added that DPWH also requested the different local government units in Southern Leyte to help them in informing the public to take alternative routes for vehicles exceeding the bridge load limit.
The Liloan Bridge, constructed in 1977, connects Panaon Island to Leyte mainland and is a vital structure for the connectivity of Luzon to Mindanao. “Due to the bridge's aging structure and prolonged exposure to the salty sea breeze, severe corrosion has progressively deteriorated the steel components,” Santos said.
He said the degradation is particularly evident at the joints where the cross-bracing connects to the main structural members. Santos added that due to the magnitude 5.8 earthquake last January 23 the bridge condition further worsened where some of the severely corroded cross-bracings were detached.
“This detachment further compromises the integrity and overall stability of the bridge, increasing the risk of structural failure if not promptly addressed,” he said. Santos said DPWH has earmarked P80.9 million for the retrofitting that will cover the necessary repair works based on the assessment done before the earthquake occurred.
“The overall cost of the repair of the Liloan Bridge is yet to be determined pending submission of the final report on the post-earthquake assessment conducted jointly by the bridge engineers of the district engineering office, regional office and Bureau of Design of DPWH,” he said.
He added that the works to be done have yet to determined based on the final report of the bridge engineers.
“Considering that the bridge has been significantly affected by the earthquake, it may require us sufficient time to determine whether the observed defects need to be repaired. However, during the inspection, there were evident defects that certainly should be incorporated in the proposed program of works,” he said.
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