Concerned about the incoming rainy season, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to overlay asphalt on the approach of the Sombria Bridge, which connects Tagbilaran City and Cortes, before the limestone or anapog heaped in the area becomes thick mud and causes heavier traffic.
According to Engr. Francis Antonio Flores, chief of the DPWH 1st District Engineering Office, the overlay of asphalt on the 100-meter part of the road has been delayed because of complications resulting from the rehabilitation of the damaged bridge.
Authorities continue to observe the foundation of the bridge which is built on soft soil and slightly moves particularly when heavy vehicles pass by, Flores said.
The asphalting project is a temporary solution to the traffic problem at the bridge approach and the excessive dust in the area which would help create mounds of mud when rains pour as the wet season starts.
The concretization of the said bridge is put on hold until the issue on the movement of the bridge’s foundation is fixed to avoid the spending of more funds should more complications arise, he added.
The asphalt overlay is the only viable solution at the moment to answer the cry of motorists who ply the bridge to have the road fixed in time for the resumption of classes.
According to Flores, the budget for the said project has already been released.
The Sombria bridge is only one of many bridges across the province to have been damaged as a result of the 7.2 magnitude quake that jolted Bohol in 2013. (with reports from Allen Doydora)