Bishop Dennis Villarojo officiates the blessing ceremony of Cebu’s third bridge known as the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). In attendance were officials of Metro Pacific Investment Corp., CCLEX, Cordova Mayor Ma. Therese Sitoy-Cho, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Presidential Adviser for Legislative Affairs Sec. Adelino Sitoy and Public Works and Highway Secretary Mark Villar.
As work on a third Cebu-Mactan bridge gets underway this year, a fourth bridge linking mainland Cebu and Mactan Island may begin next year.
“And we’re hoping that its feasibility study and engineering design will be finished this year, and construction may start next year, so that, hopefully, it will be open before 2022,” Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said.
Villar was in Cebu yesterday to attend the ceremonial blessing of the starting of piling works for the foundation of the third Cebu-Mactan bridge, also called as the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).
Villar said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) is wrapping up its feasibility study for the fourth bridge.
“We still cannot provide more details of the fourth bridge but definitely, there’s going to be one. Jica is conducting the feasibility study, which will determine as to where it will be placed,” he said.
CEBU CORDOVA BRIDGE/JULY 05,2018:Bishop Dennis Villarojo officiate the blessing ceremony of the 3rd bridge for the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
But he said there’s a huge possibility that the bridge will connect the northern part of Metro Cebu to Mactan Island.
“We’re still finalizing the alignment but based on the study (of Jica), there is a need to decongest the other two bridges. We just came from Japan and the fourth bridge will be a priority,” Villar said.
Villar said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is expected to start work on the P50-billion Metro Cebu Expressway this year.
The Metro Cebu Expressway, which connects Naga City in the south to Danao City in the north, spans up to 74 kilometers.
It is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from three hours to only one hour.