The P1.46 billion Estrella-Pantaleon bridge will be open to traffic this month and is expected to reduce travel time between Makati and Mandaluyong to just 12 minutes from the usual 30 minutes, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar carried out a first drive along the new bridge yesterday.
Villar said the four-lane 506.46-meter pre-stressed concrete rigid frame bridge across the Pasig River connecting the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati is already complete and will be open to motorists soon.
DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office Operations Emil Sadain said the main bridge and approach road were laid with layers of asphalt concrete base, binder and wearing course to ensure riding comfort and the safety of motorists.
The new bridge was designed to withstand high-intensity earthquakes, Sadain said.
The project, funded by a grant from China, is part of the EDSA decongestion program. It will also include a bicycle lane.
It replaces the old steel truss bridge which has only two lanes connecting Estrella Street in Makati City and Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong City.
The old bridge, with a capacity of around 22,000 vehicles, was dismantled in January 2019 to make way for the expansion project.
The new bridge is expected to accommodate about 50,000 vehicles per day.
