SABANGAN, Mountain Province -- The Department of Public Works and Highways officials bared the P26 million bridge connecting the province and Benguet will soon be constructed following approval of its redesign early this year by the DPWH central office.
DPWH-Mountain Province District Engineer Wilbur Likigan said the contractor is now purchasing materials to construct the bridge.
Winning bidder-contractor Tribu Design and Construction started constructing foundation of the 36 by 7 meter bridge in 2014 but construction stopped following complaints from adjoining lot owners.
The redesign involved building concrete portion of 10 meters from the road towards Bayudan River so adjoining tomb will not be eroded.
Approval of redesigning took three years until it was given the green light early this year.
Meantime, the detour bridge on the other side started reconstruction by winning bidder JBA Construction with a P5.6 million budget sourced from calamity funds due destruction brought by Lawin typhoon last year.
The bailey bridge constructed in 2014 was carried away by rampaging waters of typhoon Lawin in October last year leading to road cut from either side of the Bontoc-Baguio road.
Heavy rains last month washed away culverts installed last year.
Likigan said the detour bridge reconstruction is projected to be finished within a month’s time.
The P5.6 million budget calamity fund includes installation of two concrete abutments on both sides of the connecting bailey bridge.
To make the road passable while waiting for the reconstruction of the detour bridge, Mountain Province District Engineering Office maintenance chief engineer Domingo Pumecha said the river bed was installed with steel gabion filled with river stones to stabilize the temporary connection of the road while the bailey bridge is being reconstructed and the Sabangan bridge is being done within a year’s time. (Gina Dizon)