The Metro Manila Development Authority announced on Wednesday it would implement minor traffic adjustments in Concordia Bridge in Paco, Manila in connection with the continuing road works at the bridge.
MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the southbound lane of the bridge would be opened to vehicular traffic beginning at 11 p.m. Saturday while the northbound lane would be closed.
Vehicles heading north or south will share three remaining lanes of the bridge, located along President Quirino Avenue.
“Three lanes on the southbound will be divided into a two-way traffic,” said Garcia.
In a related development:
• The steel components of the old Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge will not go to waste after the MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways agreed to donate and reuse it to build another bridge in Pangasinan.
The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, also known as the Rockwell Bridge, which connects the cities of Makati and Mandaluyong, will be demolished to give way for its replacement or construction of a new bridge in the area.
The agreement was reached early this week in a meeting in Malacañang and attended by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim, MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. and Pangasinan officials led by Governor Amado Espino III, Congressman Amado Espino Jr. and former Transportation Undersecretary Thomas Orbos.
The donation of the steel frames was first discussed by Orbos and Garcia, who replaced the former as MMDA general manager when he was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Transportation undersecretary.
According to Orbos, the government was committed to providing sustainability efforts to lessen the harmful effects of manufacturing on the environment.
“After its demolition, the steel remnants of Estrella-Pantaleon bridge will be transported to Pangasinan and will be reused as steel frames for the planned Santiago Bridge as they are still in mint condition,” Orbos said.
Once opened, MMDA said two lanes would be dedicated for vehicles going to Manila area from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate the heavy volume of vehicles going to various streets of Manila.
The other lane will be for vehicles going to Roxas Boulevard or South Luzon Expressway area.
“From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., the course will be vice versa,” said Garcia.
The reconstruction of the bridge started May last year, due to safety concerns.
Meanwhile, motorists are advised to brace for heavy traffic as the outer lanes of the Nagtahan Bridge will be closed to traffic sometime next week to give way to on-going works for the Skyway Stage 3 project.
Nagtahan Bridge is located just two meters away from Concordia Bridge.