Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced that the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge and Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will start its construction by next week.
The two China Grant-Aid Bridges are financed by the People’s Republic of China through a bilateral cooperation with the Republic of the Philippines.
“The implementation of these bridges is scheduled to begin next week and will be accessible to the public by 2020,” Villar said.
The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge will connect Estrella Street at Makati City and Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong City. It has a total road length of 506.46 meters.
On the other hand, the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will have a total road length of 734 meters, equipped with a four lane carriageway and a three meter sidewalk along both sides. It will cross the Pasig River and will provide a new link between Intramuros and Binondo.
“These two bridges are a product of our partnership with the people of China. We are optimistic about this collaboration as they will be providing world-class bridges that will truly be beneficial for us Filipinos,” Villar said.
“The construction of the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge and Binondo-Intramuros Bridge is part of our master plan to decongest other existing bridges. As a major component of this initiative, we plan to further increase the number of bridges nationwide and rehabilitate the older bridges to ensure public safety,’’ Villar added.
The two bridges are part of the Metro Manila Logistics Improvement Network, a traffic management plan composed of 12 new bridges crossing Pasig River, Marikina River, and Manggahan Floodway. The alignment caters to about 1.3 million vehicles daily and to provide alternative linkages between major thoroughfares, such as EDSA and C5.