A temporary bailey bridge will be constructed beside the Carlos P. Romulo Bridge (whose Span 12 totally collapsed last October 20) but will be for light vehicles only.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 1 said most of steel platforms, transoms and bailey panels from Ilocos Sur were already delivered at the site.

The two dump trucks that fell with the bridge span that collapsed were removed by DPWH and the town’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, engineering motor pool.

Motorists were advised to take alternate routes until the bailey bridge is in place:

• For all types of vehicles are: (1) Bayambang-San Carlos (Carmen Jctn-Manat Road)-Aguilar Road via Bocboc Bridge -Mangatarem and vice versa;  and (2) Carmen Jctn-Manat Road (Bayambang-Bautista-Alcala-Sto. Tomas-Carmen, Rosales)/Manila North Road and vice-versa.
• For light vehicles are: Bayambang, Bautista-Moncada-Camiling Road and vice-versa; (2) M.H. Del Pilar, Bayambang, Urbiztondo-Mangatarem-Camiling Road and vice-versa; and (3) Bayambang, San Carlos-Urbiztondo-Mangatarem and vice versa.

Meanwhile, those stranded on both ends of the Carlos P. Romulo Bridge were given free boat ride across the Agno River toward their destination by the Bayambang, Alaminos City and San Carlos City CDRRMOs and the Provincial DRRMO.

Bayambang residents were also given free boat rides to and fro town hall and San Vicente Barangay Hall. The town government scheduled five daytime trips daily.

Meanwhile, Bayambang Mayor Nina Jose-Quiambao hit back at online bashers who attributed the substandard construction of the bridge to the local government, and clarified that the bridge was a project of the national government.

Originally named Wawa Bridge, it was built in 1945, refurbished sometime in the 80s and rebuilt in 1990. In 1980, it was renamed in honor of the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo who was from Camiling, Tarlac.

The DPWH checked the condition of the bridge following the Magnitude 4 temblor that rocked Pangasinan last July 27, 2023 and was found to be structurally sound, Mayor Quiambao said.

She said there were warning signs about weight limit on both approaches of the bridge but it was ignored by the two trucks that caused the collapse of one span.

Mayor Quiambao said LGU Bayambang, the provincial government, DPWH and other LGUs are working 24/7 to ease the plight of the people of town adversely affected by the collapse of the bridge. (Leonardo Micua)

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