A huge announcement from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). This week, the agency announced that it will soon start the construction of the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB). Construction for this major endeavor is slated towards the end of 2023.
The last time we talked about this bridge was back in March 2022. At the time, the detailed engineering design of the project was at 34 percent complete. The detailed engineering is still ongoing, but it’s now at a substantial 70 percent. DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said two cable-stayed navigation bridges will be erected before the end of the year.
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The entire BCIB will cost P175.7 billion to build and have two major sections interconnected by six bridges. These are the South Channel Crossing and the North Channel crossing. Half of the bridges would be funded by the Asian Development Bank, while the rest is official development assistance from a Chinese bank.
Once completed, the bridge will have four-lanes and span 32.15km, making it the longest in the country. It will start at Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan, cross Manila Bay, and end at Barangay Timalan in Naic, Cavite. Once the bridge is completed, motorists will supposedly be able to drive from one end to another in 30-40 minutes.
“We will try to have this completed before the term of the President ends,” said Bonoan. With that, the DPWH has a target completion of 2028, and it has five years to finish it. “The growth corridor is actually in the Southern part of Metro Manila and the other growth corridor is North of Manila. So, with this bridge, I think, you will have more direct access between these two growth areas,” said the secretary.
