Four-lane bridge to be replaced by Ysalina bridge

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WORK to replace the nearly 100-year-old Ysalina bridge with a new four-lane bridge will begin early next year, said Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy today.

“The budget for the new bridge (to replace the Ysalina bridge) will be prepared by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) along with the preparation of the bridge project (by the DPWH with City Hall) at the end of this year,” Hey confirmed in Visaya minutes after the conclusion of the online program.

The replacement bridge with three flyover projects is seen to slow down traffic in Cagayan de Oro City, said the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO).

“The other day we met with DPWH officials who informed us that they have three flyover projects planned and Mayor Klarex was briefed about it.. the three flyover projects are in Gusa-Cugman, Kauswagan, and Bulua… Mayor Klarex also agreed that the Ysalina bridge has to go,” said CPDO chief Ramil Balquin during the ‘Planning and Development: In Focus’ program organized last Thursday by the City Information Office.

The four projects will be implemented by the DPWH which is also working on the five-phase road expansion project of the national highway in Barangay Puerto.

Ysalina Bridge also known locally as Carmen Bridge was named after Pacienco Ysalina, former governor of the province of Misamis Oriental.

Originally built of bamboo and located near Cagayan de Oro City Hall, the Ysalina bridge has undergone reconstruction several times until its current steel suspension form.

The Ysalina Bridge connects the uptown and downtown areas of the city. The new bridge will include a bicycle lane and a pedestrian lane and it is planned to be completed in more than two years.

Balquin said early on there were quarters expressing reservations about the project.

“There are people who become sentimental saying that the Ysalina bridge has (cultural and) tourism value but we have things to consider such as public safety and (the structural stability of the bridge…Technical experts agree that the Ysalina bridge really needs to go it’s almost 100 years old,” said Balquin.

Apart from these projects, Balquin said that the DPWH has four more bridges that connect the Cagayan de Oro River to other parts of the city.

“This will make the river with the most bridges in Mindanao,” he said, adding that Cagayan de Oro City needs it to solve the problem of traffic congestion. (Stephen Capillas of the City Information Office)