Baguio-Bontoc road open; P26M Sabangan bridge construction set

By Gina Dizon

SABANGAN, Mountain Province – The Baguio-Bontoc Road is now open after heavy rain washed out the detour road here which made it impassable to vehicles.

Dept. of Public Works and Highways officials bared this saying the P26 million bridge here connecting the province and Benguet will soon be constructed following approval of its redesign early this year by the Department of Public Works and Highways central office.

DPWH-Mountain Province District Engineer Wilbur Likigan said the contractor is now purchasing materials to construct the bridge. 

Winning bidder-contractor Tribu Design and Construction started constructing foundation of the 36 by 7 meter bridge in 2014 but construction stopped followi

ng complaints from adjoining lot owners.  

The redesign involved building concrete portion of 10 meters from the road towards Bayudan River so adjoining tomb will not be eroded.

Approval of redesigning took three years till it was given a go early this year.

Meantime,  the detour bridge on the other side of the bridge started reconstruction by  winning bidder JBA Construction with a P5.6 million budget sourced from calamity funds due destruction brought by Lawin typhoon last year.

The bailey bridge constructed in 2014  was carried away  by rampaging waters of  typhoon Lawin October last year leading to oaf cut from either side of the Bontoc-Baguio road.

Heavy rains last month washed away culverts  installed last year.

Vehicles could not pass the road as a result.

Likigan said the detour bridge reconstruction is projected to finished within a month’s time which should be by July.

A  P5.6 million budget calamity fund includes installation of  two concrete abutments on both sides of the connecting bailey bridge.

To make the road passable while waiting for the reconstruction of the detour bridge,  MPDEO maintenance chief engineer Domingo Pumecha said the river bed was  installed with steel gabion  filled with river stones to  stabilize the temporary connection of the road while the bailey bridge is being reconstructed and  the Sabangan bridge is being done within a year’s time.