Temporary bridge in Bayambang opens to light vehicles

DAGUPAN, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has opened a steel bailey bridge to light vehicles in Bayambang, Pangasinan – a temporary fix to the Carlos P. Romulo Bridge that collapsed on October 20.

The DPWH said on Thursday, November 10, that the temporary bridge started taking vehicles with a maximum weight five tons on Tuesday, November 8.

Motorists are asked to maintain a 20-meter gap between vehicles.

NOTICE. Department of Public Works and Highway crew hang a notice on the Bayambang, Pangasinan approach to a bailey bridge spanning the collapsed portion of the Carlos P. Romulo Bridge. (DPWH Ilocos Region)

Vehicles exceeding the mandatory five-ton limit are still required to take the prescribed alternate routes:

Bayambang-San Carlos (Carmen Junction-Manat Road) -Aguilar Road via Bocboc Bridge-Mangatarem and vice-versa
Carmen Junction-Manat Road (Bayambang-Bautista-Alcala-Sto. Tomas-Carmen, Rosales)/Manila North Road and vice-versa

Two trucks were on the bridge linking the Pangasinan town to Camiling, Tarlac, when the bridge structure buckled on October 20. CCTV footage recovered by authorities revealed that the dump truck and elf truck flipped during the bridge collapse.

DPWH Ilocos Regional Director Ronnel Tan earlier said that the bridge’s approach collapsed because the trucks were too heavy.

The 12-wheeler dump truck weighed 63.3 tons, Tan said, while the six-wheeler elf weighed six tons – beyond the 20-ton load limit of the bridge that was built in 1945. – Rappler.com

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