Tacloban’s P4.79-B causeway project to provide alternate road to airport
TACLOBAN CITY—The national government has earmarked at least P2.8 billion of the P4.79-billion needed for a causeway project that aims to build a faster route from the city’s downtown area to the airport.
The 2.56-km causeway will connect Magsaysay Boulevard to the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport (DZRA) complex, traversing the Cancabato Bay.
It is expected to become another tourist attraction in the city once completed, said Edgar Tabacon, Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Visayas (DPWH-8) director.
Tabacon reported a 9.66 percent progress rate in civil works since the project commenced in February last year.
“Our vision goes beyond infrastructure. It’s about building structures that draw tourists and investments to the city,” Tabacon said in an interview Friday.
With P2.8 billion already allocated by the national government, Tabacon hoped that the remaining P1.99 billion needed to complete the causeway would be secured in 2025 and 2026, as promised by the House of Representatives.
The causeway is expected to cut travel time from the city proper to DZRA from 45 minutes to just 10 minutes.
The project will feature a four-lane road embankment, a central bridge, dedicated bike lanes, sidewalks and wave deflectors for coastal protection.
Visually appealing
According to Tabacon, the DPWH has an ongoing coordination with the Department of Tourism to enhance the causeway’s aesthetics.
“We aim to create a visually appealing structure, not just an ordinary bridge,” he emphasized.
He envisioned a “Singapore-like” landscape, especially with plans for an international convention center to be built at the city-operated Leyte Park Resorts and Hotel, which faces Cancabato Bay.
The project would also include designated spaces for restaurants along both sides of Magsaysay Boulevard and near the airport.
“We are committed to achieving a Singapore-like landscape, complementing the causeway and the airport enhancements,” Tabacon said. INQ
