Detour Bridge Now Open in Critical Albay River

LEGAZPI CITY-THE BINITAYAN Detour bridge linking the critical river banks of Barangay Binitayan in Daraga, Albay to six other villages has been opened to traffic for all kinds of vehicles not exceeding 10 tons in weight early this week after its inauguration last July 1.

DPWH regional director Danilo C. Manalang said the Binitayan bridge-link which started construction in March and completed at the  at the end of June this year, is also being eyed as a diversion route to be connected to a provincial road near the Cagsawa Ruins leading to the national highway.

The completed Mabey Bridge, a 50-meter steel structure with elevated approaches of 6-meters high is now passable even to heavy transport plying passengers to Daraga villages of Kilicao, Alcala, Bañadero, Matnog, Butiao, and Mabinit  in Legazpi City, all within the limits of the danger zone of Mayon Volcano.

Project engineer Bonifacio Avila bared that local residents have expressed their gratitude to the national government for the allocation of some P 40 Million from the NDCC for the installation of the detour bridge and elevation of some 270-meters of the bridge approaches, as a deterrent to the rising waters of Rawis River during typhoons.

Currently, public utility transport and haulers of abaca materials to the Isarog Paper Pulp Company across the Binitayan River banks can now use the detour bridge.

However, Avila said that a permanent Binitayan Bridge with a 126-meter span will continue to be constructed next year at an estimated cost of P 50 Million. Earlier bridge foundations have been installed but not completed during the terms of DPWH Director Orlando Roces. (SONNY SALES)