11 bridges in Bohol reopened to traffic

Residents look at the collapsed bridge as commuters use small boats to get across at Cortes township, Bohol province in central Philippines. AP

MANILA, Philippines – Eleven bridges in Bohol that were damaged by last Tuesday’s earthquake have been reopened to traffic following restoration work mostly on approaches that had sunk down or settled, the Department of Public Works and Highways announced Saturday.

DPWH regional director Ador Canlas said that restoration work on damaged bridge approaches due to settling had been completed although quite a number of other bridges were still impassable.

Already passable and open to traffic, according to Canlas, are:
*Camayaan Bridge
*Tultogan Bridge
*Bacong Bridge
*Anislag Bridge
*Daet Bridge

They are all located along the Tagbilaran North Road.

Five bridges along the Tagbilaran East Road, which had earlier been found to have sustained cracks and settling of approaches, had also been fixed and are now open to light vehicles.

These are:
*Bonkokan Bridge
*Banban Bridge
*Balbalan Bridge
*Panangatan Bridge
*Agape Bridge along the Loay Interior Road.

The Camayaan Bridge on the Loboc LIR Road in Loon is also now passable, the DPWH said in an advisory posted on its Web site.

Still closed are the following bridges along the Tagbilaran North Road:
*Abatan Bridge
*Moalong Bridge
*Disamparados Bridge
*Liboron Bridge
*Hunan Bridge
*Taguimtim Bridge
*Masiped Bridge
*Damiao Bridge

Damaged and impassable bridges along the Tagbilaran East Road are: *Tagbauane Bridge
*Palo Bridge
*Hinawanan Bridge
*Clarin Bridge.

Meanwhile, the DPWH has opened at least one lane of the Cortes-Balilihan-Catigbian-Macaas Road and the Tagbilaran East Road Baclayon Section which were affected by massive landslides as well as cracks and settling of the pavement.

The damage wrought by Tuesday’s killer earthquake on roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in Bohol has been initially estimated by the DPWH at at least P630 million.