DPWH repairs damaged MM roads

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has put a temporary patch on a section of EDSA that was damaged Wednesday, an official said yesterday.

“A portion of the southbound section of EDSA, particularly along Connecticut street in San Juan City, was damaged. We call this shattered concrete pavement, (which) might have been caused by the continuous rainfall that saturated the base,” DPWH-National Capital Region (NCR) director Reynaldo Tagundando said.

 They have conducted temporary road patching, using asphalt, “but once the weather further improves, we might put permanent concrete.”

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) called on the DPWH to rush proper repairs on the damaged section.

“Unless it is properly repaired, it will still pose a danger to motorists using EDSA,” said MMDA Traffic Discipline Office head Yves Gonzalez.

As a safety measure, the MMDA has placed traffic cones around the cracked section to warn motorists. Gonzalez said the crack has been there for a long time, but the damage was aggravated by the monsoon rains.

The DPWH-NCR is also planning to repair the potholes along asphalt roads.

 “Hopefully, once the sun comes out we would be able to conduct asphalt road repair particularly in areas with big potholes,” he said.

 DPWH Undersecretary Alfredo Tolentino earlier said that they need at least two straight weeks of good weather to repair the big potholes along the major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.

“It will take two weeks to repair because they (potholes) are many. This would be for complete repair. We would start with the arterial roads such as the Roxas Boulevard and EDSA. We would prioritize these roads,” said Tolentino.

 “We would only be wasting money if we do the road patching while it is raining,” he added.

Meanwhile, the DPWH also started siphoning water from three flooded underpasses yesterday.

Tagundando said they borrowed trucks from Maynilad and a contractor, Readycon, to remove the floodwaters from the Lagusnilad underpass in front of the Manila City Hall, Recto underpass, and the P. Tuason underpass along EDSA.