San Juanico opens to bigger vehicles

TACLOBAN CITY — The iconic San Juanico Bridge is finally set to reopen to vehicles heavier than the current 3-ton limit starting Friday.

Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla shared that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to visit the region to conduct a final inspection and formally announce the increased load capacity.

Speaking to the media after the Regional Development Council meeting on Tuesday, Petilla — who chairs the RDC in Eastern Visayas — gave the latest updates on the bridge’s readiness.

The Department of Public Works and Highways began removing traffic barriers on Sunday. Those barriers had been installed to enforce one-way traffic and limit vehicle movement to 10-minute intervals after structural concerns prompted the 3-ton weight restriction earlier this year.

Petilla said DPWH teams, along with RDC members, inspected the bridge on Tuesday and scheduled load testing the following day for vehicles weighing up to 15 tons.

On Wednesday, the DPWH carried out a five-hour dry run, allowing two-way traffic from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Vehicles weighing 15 tons or below were permitted to cross while maintaining a 30 kph speed limit.