DPWH ramps up Cavite-Bataan bridge work

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is ramping up preparations for civil works of the 32-kilometer bridge linking motorists from Bataan to Cavite as construction is expected to begin next year.

The government agency recently met with stakeholders, including detailed engineering design consultant TY Lin International Inc., to plan how to reduce potential traffic issues both on land and sea due to construction of the P175.66-billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge across the Manila Bay.

Other concerned agencies were the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority and Philippine Ports Authority.

“DPWH intends to come up with viable ways to successfully implement this project with the least disturbance and inconvenience to the maritime affairs in the area during the construction phase,” it said in a statement.

The meeting discussed the “processes of securing government permits and clearances for the expected about a hundred marine vessel, government duties and taxes, navigational studies, vessel routing, maritime traffic management, and other concerns.”

The bridge starts from Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan, crosses Manila Bay and ends in Barangay Timalan, Naic, Cavite. The project is designed to reduce travel time between the provinces to 45 minutes from 5.5 hours.

The Bataan-Cavite bridge, which is part of the government’s Inter-Island Linkage Bridge program, is one of the current’s administrations infrastructure flagship projects.

It is funded by the Asian Development Bank with co-financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. INQ