Barring any major hitches, the controversial Sombria Bridge at the Tagbilaran City-Cortes boundary, which has drawn flak from motorists for the bottleneck its rehabilitation has caused, will be completed in August, said a local Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official.
According to DPWH 1st District Engineering Office chief Francis Flores, they have finished driving piles and dug deep enough to provide a sturdy foundation support for the approach of the bridge which connects Barangay Manga in Tagbilaran City and Barangay Lapaz in Cortes.
“Ang na-attain ana is more than 30 meters. Ang gi-report sa among project engineer is ang among hardened strata is 30 meters, ang uban ni-exceed na. Ang base is 30 meters, diha na ang hard strata na makatugkad ang sa among pile so diha na mi maka-commence sa pavement nato diha sa taas,” he said.
Flores assured that construction will proceed and will not be hampered even as the wet season is forecast to start within the month.
“August, mao na ang advice sa atong project engineer. Makapadayon gihapon ta. Ang difference sa uwan is ang atong detour, kay ang atong detour ma-damage g’yud na sa uwan unya ma discomfort ang atong travelling public,” said Flores.
He said that for the muddy detour, they can only provide temporary solutions such as adding more limestone.
The P50-million bridge project, which is implemented by the national government through the DPWH, drew the ire of the riding public due to its muddy and narrow detour which causes traffic congestion and is almost impassable when hit by rains.
The Sombria Bridge serves as main gateway for motorists travelling from Tagbilaran City to the towns of Cortes, Maribojoc, Loon, Tubigon and Calape, and vice versa.
Rehabilitation of the quake-hit bridge itself has been completed but the construction of the bridge approach at the Tagbilaran side is yet to be completed.
The DPWH had earlier appealed for public understanding on the inconvenience caused by the ongoing construction of the bridge approach as it is located on top of “soft soil.”
“Taas-taas panang atong apsonon dihang dapita kay labing humoka ang portion sa iyang yuta mao bitaw nga wa pa nato i-concrete paghuman sa tulay kay nag-sige siya og us-os tungod sa kahumok sa ilawom,” said Flores in a January, 2019 interview. (A. Doydora)