New 5-Ton Temporary Wawa Bridge to Open Nov. 7

 Only Light Vehicles Can Pass

By Mortz C. Ortigoza 

STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan – Users of the collapsed steel bridge in Barangay Wawa, Bayambang can cross it again after two weeks, according to the chief of the Department of Public Works & Highway.

A five-ton temporary bridge will be completed before or after November 7 this year to replace the portion of the 20-ton limit bridge that fell recently after a 63.5 overloaded 12 - wheeler dump truck crossed it.

THE ILL FATED Carlos P. Romulo Bridge popularly known as Wawa Bridge (left, photo) in Bayambang, Pangasinan after it collapsed last October 20 when a 63.5 tons 12- wheeler hauling truck violated the bridge 20 tons' capacity. The big truck and a smaller hauling vehicle went with the falling panel. A Bailey bridge (right, photo) whose 13 meters and five tons capacity's similarity is being constructed now so it could be openned to light vehicles on November 7 as disclosed to Northern Watch Newspaper by the Department of Public Works & Highway.

“Hindi lang magkabagyo kahit two weeks,” disclosed to this writer by 4th District Engineering Office’s Chief Simplicio D. Gonzales.

He said the Bailey bridge arrived last Monday from the regional office of the DPWH in San Fernando City, La Union Province.

A Bailey bridge is a type of portable pre-fabricate truss bridge. It was developed in 1940–1941 by the British for military use during the Second World War and saw extensive use by British, Canadian and American military engineering units. It has the advantages of requiring no special tools or heavy equipment to assemble. The wood and steel bridge elements were small and light enough to be carried in trucks and lifted into place by hand without the use of a crane (Wikipedia)

“Nag start na siya, retrieve na lang iyong mga nahulog na (debris). Siguro magsisimula na (October 25) kini-clear lang. Andoon na ang Bailey at mga equipment”.

Workers of the DPWH and not those of a private contractor will install the temporary 13 meters link from the bank to the still passable part of the of the Carlos Romulo Bridge.

Vehicles that are not more than five tons (five thousand kilos) could pass by the temporary bridge.

He said the DPWH regional director Ronnel M. Tan recommended to the national government a total replacement of another 490-meter concrete bridge for the damaged one.

A new 490 meters’ concrete bridge could cost the national coffer half a billion pesos.

Gonzales said that every meter of the bridge is pegged at P1 million. Its cost however can exceed because of the design.

“Depende iyan sa taas. Magkakaroon iyan ng survey. Depende iyan sa taas kasi nag va-vary sa length hindi mo na agad ma determine kung magkano,” he explained to Northern Watch Newspaper.

Gonzales blamed the driver of the 63.5 tons overloaded dump truck ferrying sand and gravel as the culprit that cause a portion of the 20 tons’ capacity 1945 vintage Carlos P. Romulo Bridge or Wawa Bridge in Barangay Wawa, Bayambang, Pangasinan to collapse last October 20 with the big truck and an Elf truck that followed it.