GOWA (BINA MARGA) - In addition to casualties and material belonging to the community, the impact of extreme weather in South Sulawesi province also cut off the Jenelata Bridge connecting Tanah Karaeng and Moncong Loe Villages, Manuju District, Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi Province.

Sunday morning (27/01), Director General of Highways of the Ministry of Public Works, Sugiyartanto along with Preservation Director Atyanto Busono, as well as the Head of the XIII National Road Implementation Center, Miftachul Munir received Vice President Jusuf Kalla and PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono at the Jenelata Bridge location in the village Snout Loe.
 
Director General of Highways, Sugiyartanto said even though the bridge was not located on the national road network it would help repair it.
"Bina Marga as the Road Builder in Indonesia in general has a moral responsibility (to regional roads)," he said.
 
Based on a review of the location of the bridge Saturday afternoon (01/26), it was revealed that the community really needed the bridge. Seen from residents who are determined to build a bamboo ladder as high as 10 meters from the base to the span of the bridge that is still intact to cross.
 
Then, Sunday afternoon in the hall of the South Sulawesi Governor's office, in front of the Vice President, the Minister of PUPR, the Governor of South Sulawesi, as well as the relevant regional heads, Sugiyartanto proposed to build the Bailey Bridge over the existing bridge.
 
In short, a 2x24 meter long Bailey Bridge panel will be built from the central pier to the asphalt road on the side of the village of Moncong Loe (abutment A1) replacing the collapsed landscape. While the existing span from the middle pier to the side of the village of Tanah Kosong (abutment A2) can still be used.
 
According to the Head of BBPJN XIII, Miftachul Munir this solution was chosen because it was faster than building an emergency bridge beside the existing bridge.

"If it is built on top of the existing bridge, it only needs 3 weeks, if the detour can be 2 months. Seeing that the needs are unstoppable. The community cannot be detained not to pass through it (bamboo stairs). It is dangerous," said Munir.
 
Munir said he had received a letter requesting the loan of Bailey Bridge from the Balai Besar Sungai Wilayah (BBWS) Pomperang Jenebarang Ministry of PUPR as the executor of the Bailey Bridge construction.
 
"We are willing to lend, but for the maintenance, implementation, and security of its assets, BBWS is implementing it. We are willing to support technical advice or assistance," he said.
 
Jlika will one day be rehabilitated with a permanent bridge, Munir suggested his work items include the construction of a detour bridge in advance so that the road alignment does not change.
 
Then how about the security and strength of this Bailey bridge later? According to Munir, the maximum span of the Bailey bridge is 30 meters while only 24 meters will be built and can be passed by vehicles with a dead load of 18 tons.
 
"Yes, minibus-class cars and small trucks can. For motorcycles and pedestrians there are no problems," he explained. (Ian)