ILOILO – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 has issued a travel advisory for motorists ahead of the commencement of jet grouting activities on the Aganan flyover today along the Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue, from Aganan Bridge to the intersection with the Felix Gorriceta Avenue.
Regional Director Sanny Boy Oropel has apologized in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, particularly for motorists passing through the area, especially during rush hours.
But DPWH-6 has provided alternative routes for motorists, particularly private vehicle owners, to avoid possible delays.
Motorists coming from Santa Barbara, Iloilo heading toward Iloilo City are advised to take the following detour: pass through Purok II (Poblacion) in Pavia, proceed to Pavia Town Proper (Purok III), then continue to Purok IV (Poblacion Area) and return to Barangay Aganan.
Signage and traffic enforcers from the local government unit (LGU) of Pavia will be displayed to guide motorists.
In an interview with Panay News earlier this week, Oropel said the jet grouting work, managed by International Builders Corporation (IBC), is expected to take approximately three and a half months.
The contractor will start with the piers located within a 50-meter stretch of the intersection area, preparing them for the installation of coping beams and steel girders.
Oropel also revealed that funding for the jet grouting comes from the remaining budget allocated for the flyover’s completion, which totals P308 million out of the original P802 million.
The estimated cost for jet grouting the flyover’s 21 piers is around P275 million, although this figure is expected to rise to about P300 million once additional tasks, such as asphalt overlay and other enhancements to the flyover’s appearance, are completed.
After the jet grouting at the intersection, the next phase will involve grouting the piers that have already been fitted with standing girders, which will speed up the installation of the flyover’s superstructure.
Regarding the overall project completion, Oropel said the timeline will depend on when the necessary funds are released by the DPWH Central Office.
“While the jet grouting is expected to take three and a half months, the completion timeline for the entire flyover will depend on when the funds are released,” Oropel explained.
WHY JET GROUTING?
The jet grouting work follows recommendations from Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants, the firm commissioned by DPWH to conduct a geotechnical investigation for the Aganan flyover.
DPWH-6 employed a third-party consultant due to discrepancies between soil tests conducted by United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP) and confirmatory seismic tests performed by DPWH-6. According to Oropel, UTCP’s data suggested the presence of a hard soil layer at a depth of 24 meters, where the foundation piles were placed. However, DPWH-6’s confirmatory tests revealed that the hard soil layer actually extended to depths of 40 meters and beyond.
UTCP was hired by the Bureau of Design (BOD) of DPWH-Central Office for the soil testing and design of both the Aganan and Ungka flyovers in Barangay Ungka, Pavia./PN
