Duterte, DPWH top execs lead reopening of Estrella-pantaleon Bridge at Rockwell

PRESIDENT Duterte inaugurated on Thursday the Estrellapantaleon Bridge, a modern bridge that will connect the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati within five minutes.

The President was joined by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark A. Villar in the symbolic unveiling of bridge marker at Rockwell in Makati City.

Built at a cost of P1.46 billion, the Estrella-pantaleon Bridge Project is one of the two bridges funded by a grant of the People’s Republic of China — the other one is Binondo-intramuros Bridge in Manila expected to be finished at the end of the year.

The President expressed his appreciation to the Chinese government’s generosity in funding the construction of this new bridge that has not only improved mobility and connectivity but also enhanced the resilience against natural disasters.

Villar said that this modern bridge across Pasig River is expected to accommodate about 50,000 vehicles daily and is among the projects under the Metro Manila Logistics Improvement Network to address traffic congestion including that of Edsa.

Construction of 506.46 meters bridge began in January 2019 under theimplementationofdpwhunified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operationsheadedbyundersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who together with Villar were at the forefront of ensuring the quality completion despite the challenges of this project under the Build, Build, Build program.

While this pandemic may slowed down and disrupted the implementation of this bridge project, the DPWH UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 Team and contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation have worked double time, added Villar.

The new four-lane bridge with added aesthetic value of V-shaped piers is made of pre-stressed concrete rigid frame with corrugated steel webs, replacing the temporary two-lane box truss bridge dismantled in 2019.

Compared to the old bridge made of temporary modular steel components, the new bridge has two (2) lanes on each direction and with wider sidewalk component.

Estrella-pantaleon Bridge has a 50.5 meters approach road on Estrella Street, 66 meters Makati approach bridge made of pre-stressed continuous girder, 146 meters main bridge and 243.96 meters approach road at Barangka Drive connected to Pantaleon Street in Mandaluyong City.