DPWH starts laying down foundations for Panguil Bay Bridge
DPWH expects to put 40 of the 54 bored piles for Panguil Bay Bridge by Dec 2021
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently announced that the Panguil Bay Bridge Project is on track within the target completion of December 2023.
According to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, they are currently laying down the foundations of the 3.169-km mega bridge. According to DPWH Undersecretary for UPMO Emil K. Sadain, the project is now at 22%, with 15 out of the 54 bored piles for the Panguil Bay Bridge sub-structure in place.
The DPWH, together with Korean joint venture contractor Namkwang-Kukdong-Gumwang, installed the bored piles using reverse circulation drilling machines placed on barges. The method allowed them to prepare the boreholes followed by the launching of 23-mm thick permanent steel casings using cranes and pile hammers. Afterward, they will pour concrete into the boreholes to finish making the bored piles.
To ensure the quality of each completed bored pile, the DPWH will test each pile after 7 to 14 days of concrete placement in order to assess the integrity of the concrete.
With an average of 6 to 7 holes set to be prepared per month, the DPWH to reach 74% (or 40 of the 54 boreholes) towards the end of December 2021. Meanwhile, the remaining 26% (or 14 boreholes) are expected to be finished by February 2022.
Once work on the Panguil Bay Bridge is completed in December 2023, the PHP 7.375 billion project will become one of the longest bridges in the country - surpassing the 2.16-km San Juanico Bridge that connects Samar with Leyte in Eastern Visayas.
The new bridge will connect Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and the municipality of Tubod in Lanao Del Norte across Panguil Bay. With it, travel time between the two will be reduced from 2.5 hours to just 7 minutes.
