TACLOBAN CITY — The P37.9 million repair work on the Bernard Reed Bridge in Palo, Leyte is still ongoing.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 8 Chief of Construction Division, Luciano Gumba allayed fears of concerned sectors that the rehabilitation of the bridge started last February 15, 2007 had already been abandoned.

The concern was conveyed to DPWH Secretary Victor A. Doming by media in Tacloban City during a press conference last Saturday.

The Bernard Reed Bridge is important since it is the only access route for motorists and travelers traveling from this city to southwest and southeast Leyte, particularly to Ormoc City, Cebu, Liloan Port, Southern Leyte, and Surigao.

Travelers along the Maharlika Highway from Luzon to Mindanao (and vice versa) pass through this oldest bridge in Eastern Visayas, and at the moment, it is the only access route to Luzon and Mindanao via said Highway. Construction of the P150-million Palo East By-Pass Road is ongoing.

Project Engineer, Pablito Quiñones, said for the past few months, there had been a lull of activity at the bridge because the piles that are to be driven and strengthen the bridge foundation, were still being cast in Ormoc City. The piles were designed and cast after the test piles have been driven, he explained.

But now, he stressed, “these piles are already delivered at the bridge site, and maybe next week the rehabilitation work will resume again.”

The rehabilitation of Bernard Reed Bridge is divided into three phases, that is, Phase 1 amounting to P20 million which consisted of steel jacketing and reinforced concrete (RC) girder of spans 1, 2 and 3; steel bonding of bottom slab and replacement of GI drain and construction of one RC catcher completed last June 22, 2007.

Phase 2 amounting to P11.9 million, which consists of driven precast test pile and 21 driven precast RC pile; structural concrete; and trimming and restoration of sidewalk and railing have been suspended pending implementation of Phase 3.

Phase 3, to cost P16 million consists of crane-way construction; completion of girder steel jacketing; trimming and restoration of rail posts and railing; and painting. The construction of Craneway, implemented under the Panaon-Liloan Road project, is now completed. Remaining work will be done once Phase 2 is already completed, it was learned.