Marcos inspects newly completed Davao bridge

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday inspected the newly completed Bucana Bridge, which is expected to ease traffic in Davao City in time for the holiday season.

The 1.3-kilometer project, also called the Davao River Bridge, can accommodate up to 14,000 vehicles daily and will be opened on Dec. 15. 

“Travel that lasts two hours will be reduced to just 25 or 20 minutes. It will offer a huge relief, especially now that Christmas is approaching,” Marcos told journalists after the inspection.

Malacañang described the completion of the bridge as a major milestone in Davao City’s bypass construction project, which is expected to be completed in 2027.

The P3.1-billion bridge links Barangay 76-A Bucana and Matina Aplaya, and will promote economic activity in the region.

Construction of the bridge began in 2023. It was partly funded by official development assistance from China.

The bridge features a 480-meter, six-span extradosed structure supported by 860 meters of approach roads. It has a pedestrian walkway and a shared-use path for cyclists.

“This is one of the four major projects that we – our legacy projects that we will be finishing in Davao and its environs. We have opened a section of this, and this will become another major part of this bypass road,” Marcos said. 

The Bucana Bridge is part of the 17.8-kilometer coastal road that stretches from Bago Aplaya to R. Castillo, which was initiated during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos commended the Chinese contractors who handled the project and attributed the rapid completion of the project to advanced technology.

He congratulated the Department of Public Works and Highways for paying “good attention to the project.” 

– With Diana Lhyd Suelto, Edith Regalado