The construction of the Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Bridge Project may start by the first quarter of 2023, said the mayor of Island Garden City of Samal (Igcos) Al David Uy on November 17.
The mayor said he was informed about it by the Chinese contractors of the SIDC bridge, which is also funded by the Chinese government.
Amid the clamor by environmental groups and local city councilors to realign the route of the SIDC bridge, Uy said there aren’t any changes to the project and will most likely continue as is.
The Save Samal Reef Alliance, including the Rodriguez-Lucas Family who owns the Paradise Park and Beach Resort and Costa Marina Beach Resort, appealed to realign the bridge as its current route will damage the 100-year-old Paradise Reef located in front of the aforementioned resorts.
“It’s final already kung asa gyod na itukod (where it will be constructed). (I think) naga-prepare ang Office of the Solicitor General to file, if necessary, ang expropriation sa property na maigo (The solicitor general is preparing to file an expropriation, if necessary, for the properties involved),” Uy said during an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio.
The landing sites of the bridge are at Samal Circumferential Road in Barangay Limao, fronting Costa Marina Beach Resort in Igacos to Davao City between R. Castillo-Daang Maharlika junction in Davao City.
Currently, Uy said site survey and soil testing continued after the groundbreaking was conducted last October 27, 2022.
With a cost of P23.039 billion, the Samal-Davao bridge is a two-way four-lane 3.86-km bridge with the main bridge having a length of 1.62-km long. It is also 24 meters in width and has a vertical navigational clearance of up to 47 meters.
The project is estimated to be completed in five years. ICM