The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is working closely with contractor China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC) to ensure the timely completion of the P4.3-billion Davao River bridge project in 2026.
The implementation of this project, which is also known as the Bucana Bridge, started in November 2023 and is currently on bored piling works.
Emil Sadain, DPWH senior undersecretary, said construction of this modern bridge will be finished in 24 months and this is expected to open to traffic in the first quarter of 2026.
The bridge can hold about 35,000 vehicles every day, alleviating the east-west traffic congestion in the coastal areas of Davao City.
Sadain led the inspection last April 5 of the ongoing construction of the four-lane six-span bridge and approach roads located at the estuary of the Davao River.
From the onset of its mobilization during the last quarter of 2023, the project has been underway for several months. The present accomplishment status is 8.23 percent.
The project is funded with the assistance of the government of the People’s Republic of China under the China aid grant.
DPWH said the ongoing construction provides local employment opportunities, with about 83 percent of the workers involved in the project being Filipinos.
The detailed engineering design for the project was completed on April 28, 2023, by the consortium of CCCC Highway Consultant Co. Ltd. and Beijing Zhongjiao Road and Bridge Supervision Co. Ltd. which are also providing consulting services on the construction supervision of the Bucana Bridge.
Although challenges affecting the project implementation are inevitable, DPWH said it guarantees to provide the utmost transparency and accountability in delivering top-notch infrastructure facilities to improve the lives of Filipinos.
In addition, the Bucana Bridge is anticipated to complement the Davao City Coastal Road, serving as an alternative route to the existing urban road network in Davao that will aid in decongesting the traffic in the old route.
