LAPU-LAPU City Rep. Junard “Ahong” Chan has welcomed the long-awaited fourth bridge connecting the city to mainland Cebu. But he is hesitant to endorse the current alignment because he fears it could worsen, not ease, traffic near the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.
“Gipangandoy nato na makabaton ta og ikaupat nga bridge pagsulbad sa atong trapiko (We have long wanted a fourth bridge to solve our traffic problems),” Chan said in Cebuano.
“Pero kon ang atong fourth bridge nga atong maangkon makasamot nuon sa atong traffic dili siguro andam ang siyudad sa pagdawat niana kon mosamot og ka traffic (But if our fourth bridge that we will get will only worsen our traffic, then the city is probably not ready to accept that if it makes traffic even worse),” he added.
Big question
If the fourth bridge is meant to solve congestion, why is the city worried it could make traffic even worse?
Bridge proposal
What it is: A planned 3.3-kilometer steel box girder bridge with four lanes (expandable to six), plus sidewalks and bike lanes.
Who’s behind it: Proposed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency more than 10 years ago. A feasibility study was done in 2018.
When it’s supposed to happen: Construction was projected to start in 2024 and finish in 2028, but as of mid-2025, the project is still in the consultation stage.
Why it matters: Cebu-Mactan already has three bridges — the old Mandaue-Mactan Bridge and Marcelo Fernan Bridge, plus the newly opened Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway. A fourth bridge is expected to relieve bottlenecks for the growing urban centers on both sides.
Concerns
Chan said the planned viaduct of the new bridge would sit less than one kilometer from Marcelo Fernan Bridge, near Pusok Elementary School and ML Quezon Highway.
These are his concerns:
ML Quezon Highway is already a choke point.
Adding another major bridge there could funnel more vehicles into the same stretch, causing worse gridlock instead of easing it.
Alternatives on the table
City officials suggested:
A crossway route to divert vehicles away from M.L. Quezon Highway.
A coastal road project (Pajo to Ibo), now under construction, that could serve as a feeder road to the new bridge. Officials insist the bridge alignment makes sense only if this coastal road is completed.
What happens next
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 must secure endorsements — “no objections” — from the City Council and the mayor’s office before the final alignment can move forward.
A private consultant and the DPWH still have to evaluate the traffic concerns raised by the City.
Without adjustments or supporting infrastructure like the coastal road, Lapu-Lapu leaders may withhold approval.
The takeaway
The fourth Cebu-Mactan Bridge is seen as a vital link for Metro Cebu’s future. But the debate shows a paradox common in infrastructure projects: a road meant to fix congestion can sometimes make it worse if not planned carefully.
For now, the bridge’s fate rests on whether DPWH can convince the Lapu-Lapu City Government that its alignment won’t turn traffic nightmares into gridlock reality. / DPC