Binondo-Intramuros Bridge to open Q1 of 2022

Earlier this year, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said that the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge would be complete by December of this year. It was originally scheduled for completion by September 2021. However, the DPWH had to adjust its schedule due to several delays.

Since the DPWH plans to finish work on the said bridge before the year ends, does this mean it could be open to the public early next year? Yes, that's what the agency plans to do. The DPWH recently announced that the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will be opened by Q1 of 2022.

According to DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K. Sadain, the PHP 3.39-billion bridge project is now 81% complete. Construction work is ongoing for the massive foundation of up-ramp in Magallanes-Riverside Drive and down-ramp in Solana Street at Intramuros side, and up-ramp at San Fernando Street.

Once the steel box girders arrive by the 3rd week of October, Sadain says work on the bridge will be faster. They plan to immediately install the girders on the already completed piers and place the precast slab in order to complete the ramps.

The 680-meter Binondo-Intramuros bridge is expected to benefit around 30,000 vehicles daily and will connect the District of Intramuros at Solana Street and the District of Binondo at Rentas Street/Plaza Del Conde Street. It will have a total of four lanes (two in each direction) and will help ease traffic congestion between Intramuros and Binondo.

The upcoming bridge is also expected to help extend the life of nearby bridges like Jones, Delpan, and MacArthur by reducing the number of vehicles that pass through them.

There's no exact date yet when the bridge will open. Hopefully, the DPWH can have it open to the public as early as January 2022.