Metro Pacific eyes P1-B Cebu toll bridge expansion

Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway —MPTC.com.ph

Tycoon Manuel Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is looking to extend the 8.9-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEx) to Guadalupe City via a P1-billion ramp project, in a bid to increase usage of the toll bridge.

Allan Alfon, president and general manager of MPTC subsidiary CCLEx Corp. (CCLEC), told the reporters last week that the 2-kilometer extension project could add about 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles traversing the toll road per day.

“Cebu City is looking at reviving the Guadalupe ramp exit and entry … It leads you right to the central business district,” Alfon explained.

Alfon said they were just “waiting for the Cebu City government to come up with the ordinance” so they could proceed with the project.

Currently, about 12,500 vehicles pass through CCLEx on a daily basis, which translates to P1 million to P1.4 million gross revenues from toll collection per day. Majority of these are class 1 vehicles, which include vans, cars and pickups.

The CCLEC official said this volume could grow to 20,000 vehicles by the end of the year, increasing daily revenues to P2 million. He noted that a lot of construction projects were taking off in Cordova. A casino, residential property, port and reclamation project are among those seen to come.

“We believe that this provides the sustainable volume for traffic to increase,” he explained.

In the next two years, Alfon said they were hoping to reach 40,000 daily vehicular volume.

The P33-billion CCLEx, Cebu’s third bridge that is expected to ease the traffic in the area, was inaugurated in April. It connects mainland Cebu from Cebu City to Cordova town in Mactan Island.

It has a design speed of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour and a navigational clearance of 52 meters, allowing shipping traffic below.

—Tyrone Jasper C. Piad INQ