Work starts soon on North Coastal Road

CEBU - Motorists complaining about heavy traffic in the north particularly in the town of Consolacion will soon find the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

This as the Department of Public Works and Highways has issued the Notice to Proceed (NTP) to the winning bidder for the construction of Cansaga Bay Bridge in the town of Consolacion and its approaches.

Nonito Labrador, project manager II of DPWH’s Project Management Office of the Cebu North Coastal Road project said that DPWH has issued the NTP to Manila-based construction firm, Ciriaco Construction early last week.

“Mobilization will begin in the second week of January,” Labrador said.

The construction of the Cansaga Bay Bridge is part of the P2.3 billion Cebu North Coastal Road project, which is part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s 149 priority infrastructure projects in the country.

Nilo Pamayloan, project director of the CNCR earlier said that an initial funding of P400 million the construction of the bridge (Cansaga Bay) and its approaches was released this year.

Another P999,290,000 will be released in 2009 and the remaining P809,453,000 will be released in 2010, the year the project is expected to be completed.

The Cansaga Bay Bridge is about 684 meters long and has a vertical height of 13 meters, which is almost the same height as the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge. This shall allow vessels to pass under the bridge.

The 9.45-kilometer four-way lane coastal road will traverse the towns of Liloan and Consolacion and end in Mandaue City. The CNCR project is divided into several phases lumped into two packages.

Under package 1, phase 1 involves the civil works in preparation for the construction of bridge and approaches, which was already completed while Phase 2 includes the construction of Cansaga Bay Bridge and approaches.   Package 2 includes the construction of roads including the Suba Bridge, Tayud Underpass and Pedestrian Overpass.

A total of P100 million fund was released in 2007 wherein P55 million of it was for the payment of the road right of way while the remaining P45 million for civil works. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)