GMA bridge program marks new milestone

The ‘Tulay ng Pangulo’ project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the Arroyo administration has reached another record breaking achievement in bridge building and infrastructure development — the completion of a 280-meter permanent steel flyover in Malolos City, Bulacan in 60 days.

After the quick installation of the twin double lane 167m temporary flyover at the Dolores Junction in San Fernando, Pampanga in August 2003, President’s Bridge Program chairman and Public Works and Highways secretary Florante Soriquez, acting on President Arroyo’s directive, spearheaded the construction of a permanent rapid erect steel flyover at the main junction of McArthur highway intersecting Mabini street in Malolos City to address the heavy flow of vehicles coming from Metro Manila, Bulacan and Pampanga.

The state-of-the-art steel bridging materials used are supplied by Mabey and Johnson Ltd. (M&J) of the United Kingdom, the same and lone supplier of the widely used Compact 200 bridge being built at a rate of two bridges per week throughout the Philippines.

The Mabey flyover uses cutting edge technology in design and manufacture to produce the latest in urban permanent flyover systems. Each individual component has been computer modeled using computer aided design (CAD) system. The programmed data is electronically transferred to robots to ensure that manufacture is accurate and uniform for all components. M&J’s ISO-9001 accredited factory in the UK is fully automated, thus requiring only minimal human intervention.

The steel flyover complies with AASHTO HS25-44 loading standard — +25 percent higher than the current Philippine highway loading standard — the same highway loading used in over 700 Compact 200 Bridges already built nationwide.

Work commenced on March 6, 2004 and it is envisaged that the structure will be open to traffic on May 8 — a remarkable feat in the development of vital infrastructure in this fast developing city, north in Manila.

The completion of the permanent Malolos flyover will ease the perennial heavy traffic congestion along McArthur highway — lessening travel time for motorists, improving commerce and trade in the province and its neighboring areas, thus significantly increasing economic growth.

This fasttracked project is a priority concern of President Arroyo, initiated by local officials of the city of Malolos, Mayor Danilo Domingo, Gov. Josefina dela Cruz and first district Rep. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado. The successful installation of this vital structure is supervised by assistant program director Emil Sadain of the PBP Planning Office with the technical assistance of Mabey and Johnson.

The official inauguration of the Malolos flyover is set for May 8, 2004.