CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Department of Public Works and Highways
reiterated to motorists passing through the Ilog Bakod Bridge in San Miguel,
Bulacan to follow the 33-metric ton load limit regardless of the truck axle
configuration.
The pronouncement was made by the agency, after receiving complaints that
trucks loaded with construction materials are prohibited from passing through
the bridge even though the load requirement has been met.
The damaged pavements of the said structure require immediate restoration and
the DPWH Bulacan 2nd District Engineering has been undertaking bridge
rehabilitation works since Aug. 5 with the local government of San Miguel and the
San Miguel Municipal Police Station managing the traffic.
Overloaded trucks coming from the Cagayan Valley Region seem not aware of the
imposed load restriction, thus contributing to the gridlock in San Miguel. The load
limit was imposed to ensure that the bridge would not suffer further damage
while the rehabilitation is underway.
The Ilog Bakod Bridge in Bulacan and even the Apalit Section of the Manila North
Road in Pampanga are two infrastructures that have been seriously damaged by
the unabated passage of overloaded trucks on the main roads of Central Luzon.
Recently, Pampanga Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda implemented a moratorium on
quarrying in the province and banned overloaded trucks from its roads and urged
national government agencies to intensify enforcement of the Anti-Overloading
Act to protect roads and bridges in the province.
The operator of the North Luzon Expressway also intensified the implementation
of the anti-overloading policy due to the ongoing renovation of the Candaba
Viaduct which resulted to the diversion of traffic in Daang Maharlika and Manila
North Road.
The DPWH Regional Office III is scheduled to meet with local officials from the
City of Gapan in Nueva Ecija to request their cooperation in barring the entry of
overloaded trucks that are headed for San Miguel. The repair of the Ilog Bakod
Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of September this year or earlier.
