ILOILO City – Good news. No vertical displacement was observed when the steel shoring was removed from three piers of the P680-million Ungka flyover.
According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6, it removed the steel shoring to pave the way for the traffic load test on all 16 piers to determine the flyover’s behavior when fully loaded.
The flyover was fully opened to traffic on Sept. 5, 2022 but was temporarily closed after just two weeks due to vertical displacement.
“Steel shoring on piers 4, 5 and 6 have already been removed and no vertical displacement was observed,” stated a report dated Feb. 7, 2023 prepared by Engineer Jose Grecia and Technical Support Staff Arnaldo Recodo II.
The steel frames were installed on piers 4, 5 and 6 to support the flyover’s main structure due to the vertical displacement, according to Assistant Regional Director Jose Al Fruto.
DPWH also completed the application of grout (jet grouting) on piers 4, 5 and 6 while soil penetration test on all 16 piers at 50-meter depth was expected to be completed yesterday.
The completion of the two-lane road widening on both sides is targeted to be finished on Feb. 14, 2023 while the installation of storm drains and the repair of defective road surface remain in progress.
This latest update came weeks after Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan personally inspected the Ungka flyover together with other concerned agencies.
Following the inspection, Bonoan said the contractor followed the DPWH’s design down to the last detail.
“Palagay ko ‘yung design naman po ay nasunod niya (contractor),” Bonoan said, adding the agency will open the flyover to motorists only after all the safety issues are properly addressed.
“Hindi po namin pabubuksan hangga’t hindi po namin nasisigurado na safe po iyong nadadaanan ninyo,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas, as chairperson of the Infrastructure Committee of the Regional Development Council Region 6, called for a special meeting where the DPWH is expected to present its report on the Ungka flyover.
Treñas hopes the DPWH would be able to provide solutions to the issues hounding the Ungka flyover to alleviate the burden of Ilonggo commuters as soon as possible./PN
