DPWH breaches halfway point of Davao City Road Mountain Tunnel Project

After more than two years, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed about 1.3-kilometers of tunnel civil works for the Davao City Bypass Construction Project.

DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain shared to Secretary Manuel Bonoan that the equipment and manpower resources of the contractor Shimizu-Ulticon-Takenaka joint venture are working at northbound and southbound directions on both ends of the north and south portals of the twin tube double-lane road mountain tunnel project.  

Set to be 45.5 kilometers long, the Davao City Bypass Construction Project is among the infrastructure flagship projects started under the previous administration’s “Build Build Build” program and was continued under the “Build Better More” development agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to decongest traffic and reduce travel time.  

The on-going contract package 1-1 costing P13.23 billion is financed by a Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) loan between the Philippine government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The on-going tunnel both in southbound and northbound direction involves tunnel excavation, shotcrete works for excavation face, installation of steel ribs, wire mesh and final shotcrete, drilling and installation of rock bolts.   

Per Sadain, the tunnel’s two ends in the north and south portal are targeted to break or hole through by February 2024.  

Aside from the twin tube 10-meter wide and eight-meter high tunnel, the contract package 1-1 involves the construction of four lanes portland concrete cement pavement road with the total length of 7.9 kilometers, three pairs of bridge with the total length of 500 linear meters, two underpasses, two overpasses, 12 box culverts, and four at grade road crossings. 

Package I starts in Davao-Digos Section of the Pan-Philippine Highway at Barangay Sirawan, South of Toril, Davao City approximately 500 meters south of Lipadas Bridge. It will continue on a north-northwest direction towards Barangays Marapangi and Bato where it will shift slightly northwest direction upon crossing Lipadas River and will traverse Barangays Lubogan, Alambre, Bangakas Heights and will swerve northward into Barangays Mulig and Bago Oshiro until it reaches the University of Philippines-Mindanao Campus in Barangay Marapangi Mintal.  

The alignment passes Tugbok Proper and will traverse the Davao-Bukidnon Road, cross the Talomo River and proceed on a northwesterly direction towards agricultural lands in Barangays Tacunan and Matina-Biao, cross Matina River, before it proceeds to the tunnel section in Barangay Magtuod. 

After the tunnel section, it will continue in the same direction towards Barangay Waan, cross Davao River and continue towards Barangay Tigatto. 

It will then proceed to Barangay Cabantian, where the alignment will shift into a northerly direction as it crosses Lasang River and passes towards Barangays Communal, Indangan, Mudiang, and Tibungco.  

The alignment will then shift in a northward to northwestern direction as it passes through Barangay Mahayag, and makes another shift towards a northeasterly track as it approaches Barangays San Isidro and Lasang. It will continue in the same direction until it crosses with the Davao-Agusan National Highway in Barangay J.P. Laurel, Panabo City where the alignment will end. 

According to the DPWH, the Davao City Bypass Construction Project will improve the transport logistics and mitigate congestions in Davao City with travel time of just 49 minutes from the current an hour and 45 minutes via Maharlika Highway.

Photos from Department of Public Works and Highways

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