The NLEX Corporation announced that link slab upgrade on the southbound portion of the Candaba Viaduct has been completed ahead of schedule, adding that it will also upgrade some of the priority link slabs at the northbound side this coming July 2021.
Stretching five kilometers, the Candaba Viaduct is a vital structure that links Pampanga and Bulacan provinces. It has been serving the Metro Manila, and Central and North Luzon road corridor for many years.
About 25 bridge link slabs made of concrete that connect two bridge deck spans have been replaced with a pot bearing system to restore the driving comfort of motorists. Thirteen of these were completed in 2020 while the other 12 were undertaken this year. By July, there are four link slabs that will be replaced at the northbound portion to strengthen the bridge and boost road safety.
Series of upgrades are being done at the Candaba Viaduct since 2019 as part of the four-year rehabilitation plan that will ensure safety, stability, and long-term serviceability of the structure.
“We have slated a series of upgrades for the Viaduct as a result of the bridge condition survey and engineering study that we commissioned in 2018. We are optimistic that these improvements will enhance the capacity and efficiency of our expressway thus promote safety and provide better service to our motorists,” said J. Luigi L. Bautista, president and general manager of NLEX Corporation.
The study concluded that aside from the usual wear and tear over the years, the increasing number of overloaded trucks have greatly put stress on the bridge and damaged several link slabs.
As in the previous works on the southbound, the upcoming northbound upgrade will also require motorists to slow down and utilize a temporary steel Bailey bridge that will be installed to allow cars, vans, small trucks, and buses to cross over the link slab construction site. A counterflow lane at the southbound carriageway will also be available for cargo trucks and the above-mentioned vehicles.
Aside from replacing the link slabs at the Candaba Viaduct, the tollway company is also rehabilitating the Meycauayan and Bigaa bridges in Bulacan and conducting safety repairs on Pau, Pasig Potrero, and Caulaman bridges in Pampanga.
