IBA, Zambales – The Department of Public Works and Highways closed to all heavy trucks, trailers and buses last Friday the Carael Steel Bridge located at Barangay Carael, in the municipality of Botolan.
Engr. Hermon Ines, district engineer of the Zambales 2nd District Engineering Office, said that the closure will be temporary and that heavy vehicles and buses are required to take the detour road just beside the steel bridge.
He said that the steel bridge is due for retrofitting after it was damaged last month.
The load capacity of the steel bridge is 10 tons as imposed by the DPWH to avert accidents. However, there are still heavy vehicles that continue to pass the bridge despite the signages of its closure.
Last month, the bridge nearly collapsed and was closed for a few days to almost all types of vehicle.
Ines said that the allowed weights placed at the front of the bridge were not followed by some drivers who are beating deadlines.
Only light vehicles such as cars, jeeps, tricycles and the likes can pass through the steel bridge, Ines told newsmen.
The Carael Steel Bridge was temporarily constructed after a flash flood caused by a typhoon washed out the national highway in that area and was impassable for almost three weeks in August 2009.
The DPWH will replace the steel bridge with a concrete one once the budget is released from the national government.
