The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge that will connect Mandaluyong City to the central business district of Makati within five minutes will be opened to motorists this week, according to Mark Villar, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary.
Villar said despite the challenges, DPWH delivered its commitment for the July opening of the P1.46-billion bridge project.
This newly completed bridge is expected to further decongest vehicular traffic at Epifanio delos Santos Avenue and accommodate about 50,000 vehicles daily.
While the pandemic may have slowed down and disrupted the implementation of this bridge project, DPWH Unified Project Management Office Operations said it worked double time to deliver the project.
This project is one of the two bridges funded by a grant from the People’s Republic of China — the other one, Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila, is expected to be finished at the end of the year.
The four lanes bridge has a 50.5-meter approach road on Estrella Street, 66-meter Makati approach bridge, 146-meter main bridge and 243.96-meter approach road at Barangka Drive connected to Pantaleon Street in Mandaluyong City for a total length of 506.46 meters.
The bridge is made of pre-stressed concrete rigid frame with corrugated steel webs, replacing the temporary two-lane box truss bridge made of modular steel components dismantled in 2019. – Myla Iglesias
