Iligan detour opened as bombed bridge undergoes repair

MANILA, Philippines — Motorists going to and from Iligan City to Lanao Del Norte province will have to suffer the inconvenience of taking an alternate route as workers repair the bombed Agus Bridge, the Department of Public Workers and Highways (DPWH) said Thursday. Serving as detour is the Ditucalan Bridge, which was opened after engineers deemed that Agus Bridge need immediate repair. A bomb planted by still unidentified suspects on April 20 damaged steel beams of the halfway of the steel bridge, the DPWH field office said in a report to Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane. Only light vehicles, however, are allowed to pass the detour bridge, and the Lanao del Norte 2nd District Engineering Office in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be supervising traffic flow. Ebdane said Agus Bridge, one of the main bridges of Iligan City, need to be repaired immediately as further delay would affect the flow of trade going to and from Zamboanga, Misamis Occidental and all other parts of Mindanao. Agus bridge has a total length of 104 meters, of which 30 meters are reinforced concrete deck girder (RCDG) and 74 meters of steel. Located along Iligan-Aurora Road, the main access road leading to Zamboanga Peninsula and Misamis Occidental. The bridge is eight kilometers away from the city proper. - GMANews.TV