Good News, Tondo Bridge was open again

The bridge connecting Tondo, Manila, and the Navotas/Malabon area is back in service.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio L. Singson and Manila City Mayor Alfredo S. Lim will lead a simple ceremony tomorrow to reopen the newly reconstructed Honorio Lopez Bridge across Estero de Sunog Apog in Balut, Tondo, Manila, which is now wider, higher in elevation, and stronger.

The reopening of the Honorio Lopez Bridge came a month before the start of the school year 2012–2013. Because of fast-tracking the construction work, the new bridge was completed ahead of the June 15, 2012 expiration of the contractor’s contract.

More importantly, this is good news to both motorists and cargo forwarders bound to warehouses in the Northern Metro Manila area that were adversely affected by the bridge closure for more than a year.

Reconstructing the Honorio Lopez Bridge or the Estero de Sunog Apog Bridge became imperative following the recommendation of the DPWH Task Force on Building and Bridge Inspection in their calendar year 2006 inspection report declaring the then poor condition of the bridge structurally deficient or unsafe.

Constructed at a cost of P95.75 million, the project was implemented by the DPWH National Capital Region under contract with Northern Builders.

The 215-lineal meter bridge including approaches features two 9.13-meter wide carriageways and two 1.50-meter wide pedestrian sidewalks, and serves the mobility needs of persons with disabilities for an overall width of 19.26 meters.

Secretary Singson said that the increased traffic capacity to two lanes per direction and upgrading of both approaches 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, and will translate to shorter travel time and reduced vehicle operating and maintenance expenses.

Implementation of the project was done into two phases, with Phase 1 activities (started in January 2011) involving demolition of the old existing bridge; construction of temporary footbridge; provision of craneway; construction of board piles for abutments A and B, and piers 1 and 2; construction of coping beam; and fabrication and launching of ten units of type IV prestressed concrete girders.

Phase 2 of the project was implemented immediately after completion of Phase 1 in order to not disrupt completion of the remaining items of work such as completion of the bridge proper (type IV girder, deck slab, sidewalk, railings, painting, and bridge lightings including the construction of approaches).