Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said his agency is looking to open the Bonifacio Global City – Ortigas Center Link Road by June 12, which could reduce travel time from the cities of Pasig and Taguig from one hour to barely five minutes.
IN WHAT could be one of the finest and longest-lasting legacies of the Duterte administration which is set to end by June next year,motorists can now go from Ortigas Center in Pasig City to the Bonifacio Global City in just five minutes.
That is, when the much-anticipated Bonifacio Global City – Ortigas Center Link Road partially opens next month.
In a media interview, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said his agency is looking to open the main span of the bridge by June 12.
The date is significant since it is the country’s Independence Day which could imply that thousands of motorists that traverse through Edsa and even C -5 Road could finally be freed from daily stressful traffic jams once the new route is opened on that day.
The bridge, spanning the Pasig River, is expected to decongest traffic on EDSA by 20 to 25 percent and on C-5 Road by 10 percent.
"Kung yung biyahe dati puwedeng umabot ng isang oras, baka mga 5 minutes na lang from Ortigas to Makati and Taguig," Villar said.
While the partial targeted opening is on June 12, the entire completion of the BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project is projected to be by September 2021.
Once fully completed, the four-lane, two-way 1.367- kilometer span would be a big help in easing traffic along Edsa and C-5 Road.
The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge connecting Mandaluyong City and Makati City is also due to open "a few weeks after," he said.
The renovated bridge would have "higher capacity" as it is upgraded to having 4 lanes from only 2 lanes before.
The administration had touted in its first few years an infrastructure push under its "Build, Build, Build" program.
As the pandemic hit, it was seen as an important part of the country's recovery from the economic repercussions of the consequent lockdowns.
Although the country is still in the middle of the pandemic, observers say the year 2021 appears to be one of the most productive times for the Duterte government when it comes to the completion of its targeted big-ticket infrastructure projects.
The public welcomes these positive developments as the people are the ones that will benefit from these projects, as the country anticipates the gradual return to the pre-pandemic economy by next year following the full rollout of vaccines.
Tags: #DepartmentofPublicWorksandHighways, #Infrastructure, #BuildBuildBuild