3rd bridge construction on track

CEBU, Philippines — The construction of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), the third bridge connecting Mactan Island to mainland Cebu, is on track.

Allan Alfon, president and general manager of Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corp., said the third bridge will be operational by mid-2021, the target completion date.

Alfon is optimistic the target will be realized after securing the P19-billion loan from six local banks for the third bridge project.

The 15-year omnibus loan and security agreement was signed between the CCLEC and bank officials yesterday.

The banks include Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, Development Bank of the Philippines, Robinsons Bank Corporation, Union Bank of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands and Security Bank Corporation.

Citing the January 2019 report, Alfon said, the project’s Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) is already at 27 percent. The EPC includes the design, procurement and construction.

The actual construction, on the other hand, is at eight percent. The construction began on July 5 last year.

“It is basically the driving of the piles for the foundation (of the bridge),” said Alfon.

The contractor, Cebu Link Joint Venture, is working on with the bridge’s Tower 1. It has already finished the 21 piles of the main bridge’s Tower 2, which form part of the bridge’s main foundation.

Piling works for the other project components, such as the Cebu South Road on-ramp and viaduct are also underway.

 “Once the piles were up, it will be fast already so we’re still very confident that we can hit the target of mid-2021,” Alfon said.

Cebu Link Joint Venture, a consortium of international contractor, Acciona, and local contractors, First Balfour and D.M. Consunji, Inc., is undertaking the 8.5-kilometer toll bridge, which has a total project cost of P30 billion.

CCLEX will have two lanes in each direction and will feature the main navigation span bridge, along with viaduct approach bridges, a causeway, roadway and toll facilities.

The bridge span allows for shipping traffic and the link is expected to serve at least 50,000 vehicles daily.

CCLEC will build, operate and maintain the toll bridge through a joint venture agreement with Cebu City and Cordova town.

Moreover, Alfon said CCLEC and the Cebu City government are still studying a plan to extend the toll bridge facility all the way to N. Bacalso Avenue, instead of just landing it on the South Road Properties.

“We are continuing the study, it is just a scheme but it needs to be studied further. It’s nice if we can pursue that extension,” said Alfon. — KBQ, (FREEMAN)