Philippines bridges
DPWH and ADB sign MoU for three new proposed bridges across Marikina River. Credit: Department of Public Works and Highways.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Philippines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a loan application for three new proposed bridges across the Marikina River.

The three bridges proposed for construction over the river are the J.P. Rizal-Lopez Jaena Bridge, J.P. Rizal-St. Mary Bridge and the Marikina-Vista Real Bridge.

DPWH said that the J.P. Rizal-Lopez Jaena Bridge will be a steel nielsen arch bridge 687m-long, with a main bridge of 460m, and will require an investment of PHP1.61bn ($33.5m).

J.P. Rizal-St. Mary Bridge, which is said to be the longest of the three bridges with a length of 1,444m, will connect J.P. Rizal Street and A. Bonifacio Avenue.

An investment of PHP5.74bn ($119m) will be required to build this proposed pre-stressed concrete extradosed bridge.

Spanning 940m, the Marikina-Vista Real Bridge will be a pre-stressed concrete extradosed bridge, featuring 485m of main bridge length and to be built with an investment of PHP1.81bn ($37.8m).

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said: “The preparation is also simultaneously happening while DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Bridge Management Cluster and the consulting firm Dasan JV are working on the detailed engineering design (DED) of J.P. Rizal-Lopez Jaena Bridge and Marcos Highway-St. Mary Bridge both in Marikina City, and Kabayani-Katipunan Avenue Extension Bridge connecting Marikina and Quezon City.”

The MoU between the two parties ascertains a timeline for the engineering work, along with the review and approval of the National Economic and Development Authority – Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA ICC) and the loan processing and procurement of the three bridges covered by the Metro Manila Bridges Project included in the ADB financing programme.

DPWH and DED Consultant have also consulted with the local government units of Marikina and Quezon Cities to confirm the alignments of the three bridges.