Fernan Bridge repair 12 days ahead of schedule

TWO phases of the repair of Marcelo Fernan Bridge were done 12 days ahead of schedule.

Engr. Raul Giducos, site engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sixth district, credited good weather in helping them expedite the completion of the first phase of repairs.

Giducos said that if the good weather continues, the whole repair might be completed on the last day of July or a full month ahead of schedule.

He said the first stage, which was supposed to be scheduled for completion in June 17, was finished last June 9. The lane was already opened to traffic last Monday.

As soon as the first phase was done, work immediately started in the inner lane of the Lapu-Lapu City to Mandaue side of the bridge.

When Cebu Daily News visited the area yesterday morning, PLD construction workers were already doing the last expansion joint of the second phase.

But Giducos said the lane will still be closed until Monday since the curing stage takes three days.

“Although the repair work is already finished, we still need to have the concrete completely hardened,” Giducos said. The second phase is scheduled to be done on July 1.

Giducos said they would have wanted to begin the third phase of the repair today but they are consulting traffic authorities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue cities.

Meanwhile the Traffic Management System of Lapu-Lapu City said traffic was very heavy last Wednesday, the first day of classes of private schools.

Traffic was very heavy from Lapu-Lapu to Mandaue during peak hours of 7 a.m. to 12 noon and 4 pm to 7 p.m., said Reynaldo Gipanao of the Traffic Management System of Lapu-Lapu City.

Gipanao added that traffic flow was moderate last Thursday.

“Bumper-to-bumper gyud sa Wednesday, kay nagdungan man tanan ang padung mo-eskwela ug ang motrabaho, pero karon naka-adjust na siguro sila, but naa gyud panahon nga mohuot gyud ang traffic,”

(Traffic was really bumper-to-bumper last Wednesday because students and workers moved at the same time. But today, the traffic congestion is no longer that heavy, maybe motorists have already adjusted),” Gipano said.)

He added that even in the first bridge (Mandaue-Mactan Bridge), moderate traffic is also experienced during peak hours.