By Marilou M. Aguirre
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY — The 57-year-old Generoso Bridge I, more known as the Bankerohan Bridge, is scheduled for re-opening to traffic by Christmas.
The bridge was closed to traffic last April 12 because one of its posts collapsed. The bridge was built in 1946 and was opened in 1950. It should should have been replaced in 2000 because its life span is only 50 years, said Dimas Soguilon, director for Southern Mindanao of the Department of Public Works and Highways during a recent guesting in the television program “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa.”
The damage caused heavy traffic because the city’s major routes from the south pass through the bridge. Rerouting was immediately done as only two lanes are usable from the previous four lanes.
According to Soguilon, the reconstruction and replacement of such a bridge normally takes two years. But City Hall wanted it finished in just eight months. The repair started immediately after the post collapsed.
“It will be finished in eight months, if we have the right contractors,” Soguilon said.
Under the existing law, according to Soguilon, there must be a public bidding before the construction of any national project starts. But he said the case of the Bankerohan Bridge is an exemption since it was an emergency situation. “In this case, negotiation is enough to push through with the project,” he said.
“We will ensure the safety of the public. The materials that would be used will undergo testing first,” Soguilon added.
The DPWH said it was still looking for the right contractors, especially those who can meet the target deadline.
The Generoso Bridge I’s capacity is only 15 tons. Its adjacent bridge, the Generoso II, has a capacity of 30 tons. The DPWH plans to upgrade Generoso I’s capacity to 30 tons. To complete the project, the local government needs 300 million pesos.
“It is one of Malacaang’s priority projects,” Soguilon said. (Marilou M. Aguirre/davaotoday.com)
