MANILA -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started with the massive installation of prefabricated girders for abutments and ramps of the iconic Binondo - Intramuros Bridge Project in Manila. 

In his report to DPWH Acting Secretary Roger G. Mercado, Undersecretary and Build Build Build (BBB) Chief Implementer Emil K. Sadain said that already lifted on piers were steel box girder components for the up-ramp at Intramuros side with a total length of 191 meters and between pier 5 to near pier 8 for the viaduct structure over Estero de Binondo and corresponding ramp at Binondo side. 

Undersecretary Sadain, in-charge of DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations, said that the overall progress of the bridge project implemented by UPMO - Roads Management Cluster 1 (UPMO-RMC 1) is now at 88.63 percent. 

Simultaneously, manpower and equipment resources are also doing the lifting of pre-fab girders for the 298 meters up-ramp at Muelle dela Industria side.  

“We are expecting a lot of dramatic changes for this project, with all the needed materials and high-performance launching equipment available on the construction site”, Undersecretary Sadain told contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation following his inspection with UPMO RMC 1 Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, Project Manager Melchor Kabiling, and Project Engineer Joey Doria. 

The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge Project involves the construction of 680 linear meter bridge connecting historic district of Intramuros at Solana Street and Riverside Drive with the bustling district of Binondo at Rentas Street/Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle dela Industria.

With an already completed basket-handle tied steel arch main bridge over Pasig River, DPWH is targetting to finish the project by the first half of 2022.

Initially, the new bridge would be completed by end of 2021. 

However, DPWH had to push back the project timeframe to relocate public and private services and utilities in the area as well as to wait on the pre-fabricated steel materials to come in from China.  The project was also affected by work suspension at the height of COVID-19 pandemic. 

The ₱3.39-Billion bridge project is financed by a grant aid rom the People’s Republic of China. 

Considered one (1) of the flagship infrastructure projects of DPWH under the Build, Build, Build Program, the bridge project is expected to not only cut travel time between the two busy districts of Intramuros and Binondo in Manila but also benefit approximately 30,000 vehicles daily. (DPWH)