3rd bridge now 40% complete

CEBU, Philippines —  Less than two years from the target completion of the project, the two towers of the main 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is almost complete.

In an update posted on its website, CCLEX reported that the P30-billion project is now at 40.625 percent, according to the overall project progress being engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract.

“As of the third week of September, the eight lift of Tower 2 located in the Cordova side of the project is now completed. The first half of the ninth and last lift is also completed while rebar works on the other half is ongoing,” read portion of the project update yesterday.

It stated that the construction progress stood at 19.80 percent as of third week of September.

The Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) will build, operate and maintain CCLEX under a joint venture agreement with the Municipality of Cordova and the Cebu City government.

CCLEC President and General Manager Allan Alfon earlier vowed to finish the multi-billion project which is targeted to be completed by 2021, in time for the 500th year celebration of Christianity in the country.

CCLEX project will have two lanes in each direction and it will also feature the main navigation span twin pylon stay cable bridge, viaduct approach bridges in both sides of Cebu City and Municipality of Cordova, CSCR on and off ramps, causeway and toll plaza.

As of now, the construction of the eight lift of Tower 2 located in the Cordova side of the project is now completed.

CCLEX said that the first half of the ninth and last lift is also completed while rebar works on the other half is ongoing.

On the Cebu City’s side, at least six lifts have been completed.

Each lift has a height of five meters.

“A concrete deck, also known as pier table, will top off these substructures once all nine lifts are finished. Subsequently, work will then start on the bridge’s deck, cable stays, and upper pylon,” the project report read.

Other simultaneous activities at the project site are concreting and construction of columns and piers for the bridge’s on-ramp and bored piling for the off-ramp alongside the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR).

For the permanent causeway, contractor of the bridge will proceed with the gabion placement and embankment works.

It has also reported that works on the precast yard has progressed well and castings or girders or beams are due to start.

At least 1,871 personnel have been fielded for the construction of the CCLEX project.

The bridge will feature a lighted cross on top of the pylons to symbolize Cebu’s significant role as the cradle of the Catholic devotion.

It was on March 2, 2017 when CCLEC broke ground on the CCLEX project which was graced by President Rodrigo Duterte.

On December 19, 2017, CCLEC awarded the “Design and Build” contract for CCLEX to Cebu Link Joint Venture (CLJV) which is consortium of Spanish company Acciona Construccion S.A., and Filipino companies First Balfour, and D. M. Consunji Inc.

CCLEC also engaged the services of COWI A/S of Denmark with the Philippines’ DCCD Engineering Corporation, as its sub-consultant, to be the project’s technical advisor/owner’s engineer.

Further, Norconsult, a Norwegian consultancy firm, was also tapped as the project’s independent consultant. — JMD (FREEMAN)