4th bridge feasibility study completed

CEBU, Philippines — The feasibility study for a fourth bridge that would link Mactan Island to mainland Cebu is now completed, an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Central Visayas said.

Engineer Nonato Paylado, Planning and Design Division chief at DPWH-7, said the feasibility study took 11 months to finish. It was completed in November last year.

The study, which was jointly conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and DPWH, was submitted to the technical board of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for approval.

Once approved, it will be endorsed to the NEDA- Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) also for approval.

The project’s Detailed Engineering Design (DED) will begin once NEDA-ICC approves its implementation. The DED would take about a year to complete.

The actual civil works of the bridge and its components will start after the DED stage.

“We are optimistic that the feasibility study will be approved by NEDA,” said Paylado.

Paylado said DPWH-7 targets to finish the fourth bridge within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte's term is set to end in 2022.

“We would try to finish the project before Duterte steps down in 2022,” he said. The project is part of Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program.

Based on the project’s timeline, the construction was targeted to be completed in four years –from 2019 to 2023.

The 402-meter linear bridge will connect the area near the Mactan Export Processing Zone in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City to Cansaga Bay on the side of Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City.

The project cost was placed at US$57.69 million or roughly P3 billion and would be funded under the official development assistance from JICA.

It has two components—the bridge itself and the Mandaue Coastal Road.

The new bridge aims to address the rising traffic demand between mainland Cebu and Mactan, resulting from increasing air passengers, new traffic generators from economic and tourism zones, and expanded urbanization in northern Metro Cebu.

“The fourth bridge is seen to decongest traffic coming and going to Mactan Island, as well as alleviate traffic woes in Metro Cebu,” said Paylado.

Mactan Island is home to Cebu’s lone international airport, five-star hotel-resorts, subdivisions and condominiums.

Two bridges already link Mactan to Mandaue City in the mainland.

A third toll bridge, the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, is now being built to connect Cordova town in Mactan to Cebu City in the mainland, set for completion by 2021.   KQD (FREEMAN)