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However, only light vehicles will be allowed to pass through the bridge, which has been closed since July last year to make way for the construction of a new bridge and security plaza.
The move to give Zambales-bound vehicles temporary access to the Kalaklan bridge will avert traffic jams in Oongapo City, said SBMA administrator Armand Arreza. It will also facilitate the entry into the Subic Freeport of vehicles from Zambales during the Holy Week.
Arreza clarified that construction work will continue in the area during the re-opening, but designated lanes for light vehicles will be assigned for the safety of motorists.
Last January, the Kalaklan bridge was also opened to pedestrians, mostly workers in the Subic Bay Freeport.
TheKalaklan Lighthouse Bridge, which is the free port’s gateway to Zambales, is one of the four bridges connecting the free port zone to Olongapo City.
The Kalaklan bridge, along with the Main Gate bridge which leads to Magsaysay Drive, the city’s entertainment and business district was built by the U.S. Navy in the early 60’s.
The SBMA said that an average of 2,500 light vehicles and some 300 pedestrians passed through the Kalaklan bridge everyday when it was still operable. However, inspections revealed that the bridge already showed some structural defects, so the SBMA resolved to replace it with a new one.
In February 2010, construction began for the replacement bridge – a two-lane concrete structure with a covered walkway and a security plaza.
The project is expected to be completed by July this year.
The bridge construction project is part of SBMA’s efforts to build vital infrastructure for the planned expansion of the Subic Freeport into nearby areas, such as Olongapo City.
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