MPIC bags Cebu-Cordova bridge project

THE METRO Pacific group has won the right to build, operate and maintain an 8.25-kilometer toll bridge that will link the island of Mactan to mainland Cebu, a P27.9-billion key infrastructure project seen to decongest traffic in the Visayan metropolis.

The construction of the project is targeted to start in 2017 and estimated to be completed by 2020, infrastructure holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

MPIC subsidiary Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC) has received the notices of award from both the City of Cebu and the Municipality of Cordova for the financing, design, construction, implementation, operation and maintenance of the Cebu-Cordova Bridge tollroad subject to compliance with conditions.

The two local government units awarded the project to the Metro Pacific group – which is led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan – in the absence of counter proposals from other parties as the deadline to challenge the existing proposal lapsed on Dec. 7, 2015.

The project will now be implemented through an unincorporated joint venture among Metro Pacific’s tollroad unit, the City of Cebu and Municipality of Cordova.

The bridge is envisioned to decongest traffic bottlenecks in the two existing bridges – Marcelo Fernan Bridge and Mandaue Bridge – between Mactan and Cebu.

The project includes the construction of the connections to Cebu City and Cordova, the main bridge structure, viaduct, causeway, roadway and toll facilities. It is located around 7.5 kilometers south of the Mandaue Bridge and will take off from the Cebu South Coastal Road crossing the Mactan channel to Mactan Island.