By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
A fine of PHP100,000 was imposed on the company operating the modern jeepney that knocked down the vertical clearance gantry at the Ungka flyover in Pavia on Monday, April 7.
The jeepney, outsourced by Southwest Travel and Tours Inc., a major tourist transport firm servicing Boracay Island, hit the steel gantry while passing through the flyover.
The vehicle’s air-conditioning unit caused the impact, damaging the overhead clearance structure of the controversial flyover.
The collision toppled both the gantry signage and an adjacent steel post marking the height restriction for vehicles.
The company has agreed to shoulder the full cost of repairs.
Traffic on the flyover lane was temporarily disrupted after the accident.
Contractors immediately cleared the debris using heavy equipment, including a backhoe, to realign the dislodged steel post and stabilize the flyover’s entry point.
The fallen gantry served as a crucial height barrier installed by the Department of Public Works and Highways to limit access to heavy and oversized vehicles.
With a clearance limit of 2.3 meters, the barrier was designed to prevent further stress on the flyover, which had shown signs of structural issues in the past.
Vehicles prohibited from using the flyover include dump trucks, transit mixers, wing vans, trailer trucks, motorcycles, tricycles, and bicycles.
Light vehicles such as motorcycles are also restricted due to safety concerns over improper use of the carriageway.
This is not the first time an issue with vertical clearance has occurred.
In recent months, several modernized jeepneys have collided with the clearance barrier.
