The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Wednesday said it has started the construction of the P19 billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project.
DPWH senior undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said the 4.07-kilometer bridge project is entering the civil works phase when crews on both the Davao and Samal Island sides work on the deep foundations for the land and marine viaducts.
As of 26 April this year, the project’s actual weighted physical accomplishment stands at 3.5 percent and progress at its engineering design (DED) phase at 93 percent.
Targeted for completion within the term of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the SIDC project provides a resilient and reliable transportation link between Davao City in the west and the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) in the east, enhancing internal mobility and external linkage to support the growth potential of Davao Region.
The SIDC project is a four-lane extradosed bridge with a 530-meter main bridge; a 570-meter land viaduct on the Davao City side and 395 meters on the Samal Island side; and western and eastern marine viaducts of 350 meters and 510 meters, respectively.
It has ramps tapping into the R. Castillo – Daang Maharlika junction in Davao City and a 24-meter wide at-grade road and roundabout at Brgy. Limao along the Samal Circumferential Road, IGaCoS.
The bridge will be built with a 275-meter main span and a vertical navigation clearance of 47 meter over the southern corridor of the Pakiputan Strait. The marine crossing is approximately 1.62 kilometers with seabed up to 40 meters deep and its navigation bridge supported by two pylons 73 meters above sea level.
The bridge will serve as a catalyst for progress and development, drive economic growth in the southern Philippines by offering a strategic solution to existing transportation challenges and providing a much-needed alternative to ferry services with a seamless link between Davao City and Samal Island.
