Rehab of Transcentral Highway may take time

Within the week, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-7) will start rehabilitating this portion of the Transcentral Highway which collapsed when typhoon Seniang hit Cebu on Dec. 29.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

Rehabilitation of a portion of the Transcentral Highway that collapsed at the height of typhoon Seniang’s wrath will start within the week, a top official of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) said yesterday.

DPWH-7 Regional Director Ador Canlas said they are finalizing the design for the repair of the eroded portion of the highway in barangay Gaas, Balamban town.

He said it may take time to complete the repair since the damaged portion needs realignment after engineers found out that the foundation below is prone to soil erosion.

“There’s water seepage under that portion. The water gets in, makes the ground moist and eventually loosens the soil below. It is vulnerable to landslides,” he said in yesterday’s 888 News Forum.

“Kahit tambakan ng tambakan natin yung daan, useless kasi napapasukan ng tubig. (Even if we dump soil there, it is useless because the water gets in.  We will have to shift the road alignment altogether),” Canlas added.

Torrential rains brought by typhoon Seniang weakened the ground under the highway and caused massive erosion last December 29.

Despite the damage, Canlas said commuters can still use the left lane since the erosion only affected the highway’s right outer lane.

The repair is estimated to cost P4 million and will be sourced from the DPWH’s Quick Response Fund.

Canlas said they used their maintenance fund in clearing the storm debris.