Moderate traffic seen as bridge repairs resume April 2

Director Ador G. Canlas (middle) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-7) explains to stakeholders the new scheme that will cut the bridge repair works schedule and minimize impact on traffic flow. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Major repair works on the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge will resume on April 2, whether the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) completes pipe support work or not.

“We cannot wait for (them). We will continue with our work (regardless of what they do or do not do),” said Ador Canlas, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 7) regional director.

Mandaue traffic officials assured that the project, which will be undertaken 24/7 for the next five months, will have minimal impact on traffic flow.

Florentino Nimor, executive director of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), said there will still be two-way traffic on the bridge during daytime.

A shift in the construction methodology,  which will now use carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, will also speed up work.

“Nakauyon mi sa plano sa DPWH 7, tungod ani gamay ra ang impact ani sa traffic unya,” Nimor said.

Danilo Pasicaran, DPWH project engineer, said repair works are targeted to be completed on Aug. 29 this year.

One lane of the first bridge will be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, Pasicaran told representatives from utilities, business and tourism sectors, provincial government, and the city governments of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue in a meeting yesterday.

Only light vehicles from Lapu-Lapu City will be allowed to pass. Light vehicles and trucks from Mandaue City are advised to use the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, he added.

Within this period, contractor Jegma Construction and Development Corp. will remove the asphalt pavement from the deck (floor), patch holes with epoxy mortar, and install waterproofing material, among others.

The bridge will be open to two-way traffic from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., but trucks will still have to use the second bridge.

Within this period, Jegma will work on the bottom of the deck to repair cracks by Epoxy injection and retrofit the surface with carbon fiber technology.

Pasicaran said Jegma will make sure that the lane that was closed at night would be passable by day.

CHANGE

Canlas said they have changed the methodology to cut the project schedule by half, from 320 calendar days to about 150 days or five months.

“Hopefully, there will be no more stoppage, no more suspension, and the weather cooperates,” he told reporters.

Instead of removing and replacing the whole deck slab with concrete, Canlas said the contractor will reinforce the bridge with carbon fiber-reinforced polymers.

A carbon fiber-reinforced polymer is an extremely strong and light fiber-reinforced plastic used in aerospace, automotive and civil engineering, and sports goods, among others.

“It will entail an increase in cost, but we were able to convince the contractor to finish the project in a short time while maintaining the original cost,” he explained, adding that the contract cost will remain at P129 million.

DPWH halted major repair works on the bridge last Feb. 9, one day after it started due to an alarming traffic deadlock in the area and the need for MCWD to strengthen support for a major water pipeline.

WAIVER

Engineer Noel Dalena, MCWD acting general manager, said they will sign a waiver freeing DPWH 7 from any liability in case anything happens to the pipeline which supplies 50 percent of the total water requirement of Mactan Island.

He said MCWD has reached an agreement with Jegma, but did not elaborate.

Glenn Antigua, operations head of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), said traffic personnel will man the Mandaue City side 24/7, especially at crucial intersections.

Mactan Cebu International Airport general manager Nigel Paul Villarete proposed to put traffic personnel at the Plaridel Street-A.C. Cortes Street intersection on the first day because that is one of the bottleneck areas on the Mandaue City side.

He also asked for basis why the traffic management bodies of both cities agreed to only allow Mandaue-bound vehicles to pass while one lane on the bridge is closed at night.

Antigua, in an interview later, explained that Mactan-bound vehicles are greeted by an intersection immediately after the bridge approach which he said might be more prone to traffic build up.

The Mandaue City side, however, has a longer intersection, which Antigua said would be easier to manage.

ALTERNATIVES

Meanwhile, Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) General Manager Edmund Tan said Ocean Fast Ferries Corp. will push through with its service to bring passengers from Pier 1 in Cebu City to Anton’s Wharf in Lapu-Lapu City.

Tan said an Ocean Jet vessel will serve the link. He will meet with Ocean Jet management on Monday to finalize details.

Tan also said he will “force” Lite Shipping Corp. to deploy two Roll On-Roll Off vessels to transport vehicles and container vans from Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City to Mactan Island.

Lite Shipping management earlier agreed to dock at the Kasamahan Wharf in Barangay Poblacion, but realized the road leading to the highway was too narrow for trucks to pass.

The Lapu-Lapu City government is paving the Kasamahan Wharf with asphalt in preparation for boat trips between Cebu and Mactan.

Meanwhile, Mandaue City Housing and Urban Development Office chief Tony Pet Juanico said a meeting with DPWH 7 will be held next week to discuss financial assistance for the affected families living under the bridge.