Major bridge in Pili to be demolished, expanded to 4 lanes

CANAMAN, Camarines Sur – The 2nd engineering district office of the provincial office of the Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH) issued an early public advisory on Monday (Dec,16) aimed to inform the public that the demolition of the San Jose Bridge along the Maharlika Highway in the Capital town of Pili shall start on Jan. 15, 2014.

The bridge shall be expanded to four lanes and involves total replacement of all its parts.

DPWH) Cam. Sur 2nd Engineering District Office head Sulpicio D. Gonzales said they have issued the early public advisory to prepare motorists along the Daang Maharlika for 8 to 9 months of inconvenience while the bridge is being constructed. To be be affected are users of all kinds of transport vehicles, plying the route from Bicol to the rest of Southern Luzon and Metro Manila and down south to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Although a detour bridge shall be constructed, some limit will be imposed by the DPWH on the tonnage of heavy transport haulers like trucks and trailers, engineer Gonzales said.

Gonzales said that the construction of the expanded San Jose Bridge is part of the widening projects of the DPWH along the Maharlika Highway. Works on this bridge is estimated to cost of P 60-Million.

The San Jose Bridge was constructed in the early 1970s and went through major repairs of its deck in the 1990s. (SONNY SALES)