Reconstructed Pampanga Steel Flyover now open to light vehicles—DPWH
By Chito Chavez
After conducting a final safety inspection, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) opened on Tuesday, April 18, the “busy modular steel flyover’’ at the intersection of the Lazatin Avenue and Jose Abad Avenue in San Fernando, Pampanga.
However, the DPWH said that buses, trucks and other heavy vehicles are prohibited to use the flyover in order to prolong the service life of the structure.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain said light vehicles not exceeding 20 tons and 2.75 meters in vertical clearance were allowed to pass through the ‘modular’ Lazatin Flyover before noon yesterday, April 18.
An overhead gantry with solar lighting was installed on both approaches of the flyover to strictly implement the exclusive use of light vehicles,’’ the DPWH noted.
The flyover has been closed to traffic since Feb. 11, 2023 and was dismantled and to undergo the replacement of the 45 pieces of prefabricated segmental slabs that had deteriorated due to passage of overloaded vehicles.
“It is high time the law against overloading is strictly implemented as it prematurely deteriorate our roads and bridges including flyovers and put the safety of other motorists in jeopardy”, Sadain explained.
In his report to Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, Senior Undersecretary Sadain said that extensive repair works were completed much sooner ahead of the May 31, 2023 schedule.
“Composite girder with asphalt or prefabricated segmental slabs were utilized in order to re-build the flyover faster,’’ the DPWH stated.
The Lazatin Flyover is a two lane, 7.5 meter wide and 195 linear meter long-modular steel flyover that will ease the traffic congestion along Lazatin Avenue and Jose Abad Santos Avenue intersection providing a passageway from San Fernando City to Bataan, Zambales and vice versa.
Aside from Sadain, Project Director Rodrigo Delos Reyes, Region 3 Assistant Director Denise Maria Ayag, Project Managers Nina Maniaul and Samuel Bayot, Pampanga 1st District Engineer Almer Miranda, and Bataan 2nd District Engineer Ulysses Lllado were among present during the opening of the flyover.