The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has recently announced that they are fast-tracking the completion of three major construction projects that are envisioned to decongest EDSA and C-5.
DPWH Undersecretary, Emil Sadain, in-charge of the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations and Technical Services, identified these projects (all crossing Pasig River) as the Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas Center Link Road, Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, and the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge with target completion within the first quarter of 2021.
Usec. Sadain, however, secured the commitment of the project contractors and consultants to fast-track and deliver the said projects before the end of this year. That being said, these three major infrastructure projects could be utilized by Filipinos on or before the Christmas rush of 2020 and could hopefully decongest major roads like EDSA, Roxas BLVD, and C-5.
To expedite the construction works, the DPWH also added that Usec. Sadain and the agency's Secretary himself, Mark Villar, occasionally conduct onsite assessments and to ensure quick resolution to challenges at the on-going construction of the 440 meter Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge which is a major component of the BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project.
The P5.7-billion Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas Center Link Road Project is expected to reduce the travel time to only 11 minutes between BGC and Ortigas Central Business District. It also includes a 362-meter rehabilitation and widening of Brixton (corner Reliance Street) to Fairlane Street and construction of a 565 meter four (4) lane Lawton Avenue-Global City viaduct structure leading to the entrance of Bonifacio Global City.
On the other hand, the 506-meter Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge connecting Estrella, Makati City to Barangka Drive and the 680-meter Binondo-Intramuros Bridge connecting Intramuros (at Solana Street and Riverside Drive) and Binondo (at San Fernando bridge) with a viaduct structure over Estero de Binondo are two (2) future iconic bridges being built at a cost of P4.85 billion financed by loans from the People's Republic of China.
