Busy, old Guadalupe Bridge up for retrofitting in 2019

Hustling Guadalupe Bridge in Makati City will finally get the needed repair early in 2019, more that six years after Japan experts recommended a fix due to cracks in its columns and foundations.

A report on "Unang Balita" said that the bridge, forming part of EDSA, is scheduled for partial retrofitting in March or April 2019.

In 2012, experts at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) recommended the bridge for the retrofitting, after seeing cracks in its columns, the report said.

During an ocular survey on the bridge last Wednesday, GMA News, together with JICA and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, saw the bridge's rusty steel trusses, and cracks and wholes in its foundations.

DPWH officials were quoted in the report as saying that the bridge's seismic capacity has diminished and may not be able to withstand a strong quake.

Some 200,000 vehicles (all types) pass through Guadalupe Bridge everyday and it has deteriorated overtime due to continuous use, experts said.

Meanwhile, the DPWH on Wednesday said that it is closely monitoring a dozen more bridges in Metro Manila because of their "poor condition."

Aside from the Otis Bridge in Manila, which is now under repair, 12 other bridges, including the Guadalupe Bridge have been recommended for repairs.

Among the 12 is the historic Old Santa Mesa Bridge or San Juan del Monte Bridge connecting the city of San Juan and Santa Mesa in Manila, which was marked by the DPWH with an overall condition of "poor" in November 2017, according to a report by Bam Alegre on "News To Go" last Wednesday. —LBG, GMA News