DPWH reopens bridge in Tondo

DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will reopen Thursday the Honorio Lopez Bridge in Tondo after a year of reconstruction work.

DPWH said in a statement released Wednesday that Secretary Rogelio L. Singson and Manila City Mayor Alfredo S. Lim will formally open the “wider, higher, and stronger” bridge in a ceremony Thursday.

Reconstruction work on the bridge, which crosses the Estero de Sunog Apog in Balut, Tondo, began in 2011 at a cost of P95.75 million with the DPWH National Capital Region as implementor and Northern Builders as the contractor, DPWH said.

The reconstruction work was done due to the findings of the DPWH Task Force on Building and Bridge Inspection in 2006 “declaring the then poor condition of the bridge structurally deficient or unsafe.”

The 215-meter bridge now has an increased traffic capacity of two lanes per direction and upgraded approaches expected to improve the flow of vehicles, Singson said in the statement.

The new bridge “will ease traffic congestion of vehicles along Honorio Lopez Boulevard coming from Balut to Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila all the way to Navotas and Malabon and vice versa,” DPWH said.

It added that the better bridge will “translate to shorter travel time, and reduced vehicle operating and maintenance expenses.”

The old bridge was demolished in January 2011 and was now ready to be opened a month ahead of the opening of the school year.