Suba Bridge damaged, temporarily closed to motor vehicles

The Suba Bridge (PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MARK CABATINGAN).

The Suba Bridge in Barangay Catarman, Liloan, Cebu, a town 20.7 km north of Cebu City, is temporarily closed after one of its support beam broke Wednesday night.

Citizens reported hearing a loud cracking sound coming from the area where the bridge is located at past 10 p.m. Wednesday. When they went to see what it was, they found that the bridge had been damaged.

Residents in the area immediately approached Tomasito Pepito, an employee of the Lilo-an Engineering Office, to check on the bridge. Pepito, who went to do an initial inspection on the bridge, said the support beam at the lower left side of the bridge broke.

The bridge had long been corroded and efforts to preserve it included banning trucks from passing on the bridge.

A truck was, however, seen passing through the bridge on Wednesday night despite the ban.

The Municipality of Liloan has then issued an advisory declaring the bridge as temporarily closed and unsafe for motor vehicles.

Alternative routes

Vehicles coming from the Cansaga Bay Bridge and the National Highway in Tayud, Consolacion and Tayud, Liloan should then take a left turn and head straight to Eskina Bag-ong Dan in Liloan.

Vehicles coming from Consolacion and Mandaue heading to Tayud, Catarman, and Calero are advised to pass through Eskina Yati, Liloan while vehicles coming from Compostela and other parts of northern Cebu heading to Mandaue City and Cebu City are advised to take the National Highway.

Pepito said that the engineering office is currently doing more inspection on the bridge. Emergency repairs will be done by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).