THE construction of the multi-billion bridge linking Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal will not start anytime this year, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said on Friday, February 8.
He assured though that by 2020, the construction will commence and be finished before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.
“Yong procurement can start this year baka yong initial, pero yong full construction, next year, pero yong simula this year,” Villar told SunStar Davao during an interview Friday during the inauguration of Slaughter House–F. Torres Bypass Road.
It is one of the massive infrastructure projects of the government under the flagship “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration which is seen to open more doors for economic growth and development between the two cities.
Villar said that the feasibility study is now in the advanced stage and he estimated that by the third quarter of the year, it will be completed and the design-and-build procurement, including the contractor bidding for the construction, will follow suit.
“Davao-Samal bridge feasibility studies are already ongoing, last year pa ‘yong feasibility study [nag-start]. Matatapos siya by the third quarter of this year. Usually feasibility study takes one year pagmalaki ang project so we can expect that by the third quarter this year, matatapos na,” he said.
The entry point of the bridge from Davao going to Samal will be constructed along Sasa where the distance between the two cities is shorter. It will be connected to the coastal road of the city.
“Patatapusin muna namin ang feasibility study and we’ll be ready to implement the bridge,” Villar said. (JCR)