Eastern Samar bridge now passable

THE Quinapondan Bridge in Eastern Samar is now open to traffic, but for light vehicles only, after its approaches collapsed Tuesday, the public works department reported.

Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar district engineer Rocardo Odita said the contractor placed six-meter coconut logs in the bridge approach just to allow light vehicles to pass the bridge.

“The load limit is strictly 10 tons. For trucks, they have to unload cargoes before they will be allowed to cross the bridge. We expect the contractor to complete repair works before the end of June this year as agreed in the contract,” Odita said.

An approach of Quinapondan Bridge collapsed due to scouring of shoring materials that was triggered by heavy rainfall in the area Monday night.

The P18-million bridge repair project kicked off early this year. The contract was awarded to Ormoc-based MAC Builders.

Odita said the contractor is now on the process of replacing coco logs with steel materials but load regulations will still be imposed until next month to ensure that bridge approach won’t collapse again.

He earlier said the bridge was still intact but its approach has been closed to traffic after shoring materials collapsed.

“The scouring was triggered by heavy rainfall Tuesday night and passing of trucks weighing more than the 10-ton load limit set while the bridge is still under retrofitting. We are helpless in curbing violations since heavy equipment pass the bridge midnight,” Odita said.

The Quinapondan Bridge is within the major highway linking Tacloban City and Borongan, and the province’s most progressive town of Guiuan. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)