The Otis Bridge in Paco, Manila will be closed to motorists until March 2019 due to the structure’s “progressive collapse”, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
An emergency construction of the bridge, closed past 12 a.m. on June 26, is ongoing.
In an advisory on June 26, MMDA advised motorists to avoid the bridge and take these alternative routes:
- To motorists coming from Nagtahan Bridge, go straight to South Superhighway, then turn right to Zamora Street, and make a left turn to President Quirino Extension going to the desired destination.
- Motorists coming from South Superhighway, meanwhile, should take a left turn to Plaza Dilao and to President Quirino Exit, go straight to UN Avenue, then right turn to Romualdez Street, then right to Ayala Bridge going to their destination.
- Vehicles from R-10 going to SLEX should turn right at C-3 Road, 5th Ave., left to A. Bonifacio Ave., NLEX, right to Smart Connect Service Road, right to Mindanao Ave. to destination.
Public Works and Highways South Manila District engineer Mike Macud said the 50-year-old Otis Bridge could no longer handle the large volume of trucks passing through, which had contributed to the infrastructure’s deterioration.
“We consider this bridge an old infrastructure. The girder supporting the bridge already collapsed,” Macud said, adding that at least 6,000 trucks pass the bridge daily.
Macud said the bridge’s rehabilitation work will be done in phases and undertaken 24/7.
MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said the bridge’s repair was given the necessary permit as early as 2016 but was put on hold to make way for the repair of Concordia Bridge and relocation of an electric post in the area.
Garcia directed MMDA Task Force Special Operations head Bong Nebrija to intensify the removal of illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions along alternate routes to mitigate the expected traffic congestion that the reconstruction project would cause.
