This is an artist’s rendition of the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway project, which is targeted to be completed in 2020.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
DESIGN AND BUILD CONTRACT
The much-anticipated bridge project connecting Cebu City to the town of Cordova on Mactan Island has taken another step toward its realization following the awarding of a “design and build” contract to a joint venture firm, which is a construction and engineering consortium, formed by the Consunji, Lopez and Spain-based Acciona Construccion S.A.
Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC) issued the Notice of Award to Cebu Link Joint Venture (CLJV) last November 23 at an agreed contract amount of P22.6 billion, said CCLEC in a statement on Monday.
CLJV is a joint venture of Spain-based Acciona Construccion S.A.; Philippine-based First Philippine Holdings Corp.’s (FPH) First Balfour Inc. and D. M. Consunji Inc., which all have proven track records in major infrastructure projects.
With this development, CLJV will be tasked to design and build the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).
“We are delighted to be part of this landmark project. We have put together a very experienced team, and are looking forward to working closely together with the customer to deliver a new toll bridge that will benefit both local communities and the Philippines,” Ruben Camba, representing CLJV, said.
Allan Alfon, CCLEC president and general manager, said they are confident they can deliver a quality state-of-the-art bridge that will provide not only travel efficiency but also drive economic growth and productivity in the Visayas as well as improve the overall welfare of Cebuanos.
CCLEC is a subsidiary company of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), a publicly listed infrastructure holding company.
MPTC is the largest toll road concessionaire and operator in the Philippines that has now expanded its business in other Asean countries namely, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
The CCLEX is also the first of MPTC’s envisioned toll road expansion projects in Visayas and Mindanao.
“We are happy to be given this opportunity to bring to Cebu and share with the Cebuanos and the people in the Visayas in general, our company’s expertise in building and operating world-class highways and bridges to create more opportunities and spur economic growth,” MPTC president Rodrigo Franco said.
CCLEC will build, operate and maintain the toll bridge through a joint venture agreement with the local governments of Cebu City and Cordova.
CCLEX will have two lanes in each direction and will feature the main navigation span bridge, along with viaduct approach bridges, a causeway, roadway and toll facilities.
The span of the bridge allows for shipping traffic and the link is expected to serve at least 40,000 vehicles daily.
It will give Cordova direct access to Cebu City and is envisioned to decongest the traffic in the two existing bridges between Mactan and Cebu.
President Rodrigo Duterte led the groundbreaking ceremony for the project in Cordova, Cebu last March 2, 2017.
With construction set to begin this year, the project is targeted for completion in 2020. with Inquirer.net