Villar makes ceremonial drive on Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge as inauguration nears

A ceremonial drive on the new Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge has just been made, signaling the nearing inauguration for the updated roadway.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar made the first drive through the four-lane, 506.46-meter passageway that connects Mandaluyong and Makati, and announced that it will be open soon. 

According to Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil Sadain, the main bridge and approach road were laid with layers of asphalt concrete base, binder and wearing course to guarantee safety and riding comfort when using the said thoroughfare. 

Sadain assured that the bridge is designed to withstand high-intensity earthquakes considering the seismic hazard from small to moderate earthquakes with high probability of occurrence during the bridge service life.

Further, the ancillary works, which include protective barriers and railings, and drainage system on both sides of the structure, are currently being completed by the construction team under the supervision of DPWH UPMO-Roads Management Cluster 1 Project Director Benjamin Bautista and Project Manager Melchor Kabiling.

Replacing the old two-lane, steel truss bridge (that was closed to traffic since January 2019), the  new Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge (which has a P1.46 billion grant from China and is part of the EDSA decongestion program) is being constructed with a bicycle lane.

This new bridge is expected to accommodate about 50,000 vehicles per day, more than doubling the capacity of the old one that could only cater to around 22,000 vehicles daily.

With the old bridge dismantled to make way for the expanded and upgraded design, motorists can expect reduced travel time between Makati and Mandaluyong to just 12 minutes.

Photos from Department of Public Works and Highways

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Expect Longer Commute Time Once the Estrella-Pantaleon Rehabilitation Starts This Week