Nagtahan Flyover (Photo courtesy of DPWH) MANILA - The Nagtahan Flyover in Sta. Mesa, Manila will undergo major repair and strengthening works starting Friday. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, in a statement, said only one lane of the structure would be accessible to motorists for the time being and only to light vehicles. Citing the report from the DPWH National Capital Region (NCR), Villar said as part of the major rehabilitation along the 467.85-meter standard reinforced concrete bridge, heavy vehicles would be banned while retrofitting is ongoing. "We are glad to announce that we have finally received an allocation of PHP50 million for Phase 1 of Nagtahan Flyover Strengthening. The old structure requires immediate rehab as it has been around since 1991 when the flyover was built," he said. The Nagtahan Flyover, which has 17 spans, a four-lane carriageway with a total width of 7.8 meters, and with its highest elevation at 13 meters above road level, has been identified by the DPWH as among the 36 priority bridges for repair in Metro Manila. The DPWH will undertake the removal and replacement of the Nagtahan Flyover's existing steel casing, provide additional reinforcing steel and protective coating to its piers, and restore affected pavement and sidewalk, to meet with current DPWH Seismic Design Specification. The project will need an additional fund allocation of PHP70 million for its final Phase 2, which will cover the remaining six out of its 14 piers, and a lighting system on the flyover. Meanwhile, the DPWH advised heavy vehicles that are going south, to take A. Bonifacio Drive, right to Circumferential Road 3, then to Radial Road 10 (R-10). Heavy vehicles headed north may take Osmena Highway, then right to Quirino Avenue, left to Quirino Avenue Extension, left to United Nations Avenue, right to Romualdez Street, left to Ayala Boulevard, and then to Roxas Boulevard. (PNA) }