DPWH signs P3-B detailed engineering design deal for Bataan-Cavite bridge

The Department of Public Works and Highways has signed a P3.03-billion contract for the detailed engineering design works for the 32-.15-kilometer interlink bridge between Bataan and Cavite.

Public Works Undersecretary for Unified Management Office Operations (UPMO) Emil Sadain signed on Tuesday the contract agreement of consulting services for the DED with the bid winning consultants procured by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Parties to the contract agreement that gives the green light to conduct the DED from November 2020 to January 2022 are T.Y. Lin International senior vice president Sajid Abbas, Pyunghwa Engineering executive vice president Soo Young Park, Renardet S.A. director Michele Coangelo, DCCD Engineering Corporation president Michael Roberto Reyes, and project director Sharif Madsmo Hasim of the implementing office DPWH UPMO Roads Management Cluster 2.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the start of DED activities for the bridge project would be carried out in the next 15 months.

“This Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project will provide a permanent road linkage between the two provinces in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog Region in order to reduce the journey time and ease traffic congestion through Metro Manila,” Villar said.

Part of the government’s Build, Build, Build Program, the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project  involves the construction of a 32.15 kilometers four-lane bridge, two lanes each direction, starting from Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan crossing Manila Bay and terminating in Barangay Timalan, Naic, Cavite.

Other than reducing travel time and lower vehicle operating costs, the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project will provide opportunities for expansion outside Metro Manila for economic growth as well as support development of seaports of Cavite and Bataan as premier international shipping gateway to the country, according to Villar.

Sadain said the DED scheduled from November 2020 to January 2022 will be funded by an additional financing for the Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (IPIF) under a signed $200-million loan agreement last December 2019 between the ADB and Department of Finance (DOF).

The present five hours travel time between the two provinces will be reduced to 20 to 30 minutes with 60 kilometer per hour speed with the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, according to Sadain.

The project involves construction of two navigation bridges, namely the North Channel Bridge and South Channel Bridge, which span 400 meters and 900 meters, respectively.

The proposed bridge project is composed of the following:

Package 1 – Bataan Land Viaduct (5.04 km)
Package 2 – Northern Marine Viaduct (8.0 km)
Package 3 – Southern Marine Viaduct (12.6 km)
Package 4 – Approach Viaducts to Northern and Southern Navigation Channel Bridges (2.6 km)
Package 5 – Navigation Channel Bridges (2.6 km)
Package 6 – Cavite Land Viaduct (1.31 km)
Package 7 – Ancillary Buildings

-NB, GMA News