DPWH sets bridge clearance higher

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) updated yesterday its guidelines for vertical clearances of bridges and flyovers to prevent container trucks and similar vehicles from hitting the underside of these elevated structures.

There had been reports of trailer trucks slamming into the underside of railways, flyovers, bridges and footbridges, the DPWH said in a statement.

Under Department Order 53, Series of 2016, Secretary Rogelio Singson said the vertical clearance above the roadway shall not be less than 4.88 meters over the entire roadway width, to which an allowance of 0.15 meter shall be added for future additional road surfacing.

Pedestrian footbridges shall be 0.30 meter greater than the current vertical clearance.

The headroom between the pedestrian bridge’s walking surface and the bottom of the girder of the structure above it shall not be less than two meters.