Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark A. Villar formally opened today, March 12, 2019 the widened Friendship Bridge in Barangay Anunas, Angeles City, Pampanga.
With Secretary Villar at the inauguration ceremony are Pampanga 1st District Representative Carmelo "Jon" B. Lazatin II, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, DPWH Senior Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut, Assistant Secretary Eugenio R. Pipo Jr., and other local officials of the Province of Pampanga.
The opening of the 240-lineal meters Friendship Bridge completed in the amount of P122.5 Million under the national government’s “Build, Build, Build” program will provide solution to the traffic congestion along the Friendship Circumferential Road also known as West Circumferential Road.
Villar said that the additional two (2) lanes bridge and road widening of Friendship Circumferential Road will facilitate better mobility for commuters and motorists doing business in the bustling cities of San Fernando and Angeles City, including the Clark Freeport Zone, and Porac town.
With the widened road and bridge, the travel time from San Fernando City to Clark via Friendship Circumferential Road will be reduced from 30 minutes to 20 minutes, added Villar.
DPWH Region III Director Roseller Tolentino said that aside from construction of bridge and road widening, the project implemented by the Pampanga 3rd District Engineering Office headed by District Engineer Tito Jesus Salvador also includes maintenance work of the other existing two (2) lanes bridge such as repainting using anti-corrosion paint on metal structures and sealing of cracks, slope protection, and provision of safety devices such as concrete railings, signage and pavement markings.
The new bridge made of reinforced concrete deck girder on bored pile foundation and the approach road on both sides has a total length of 585 meters.