Bangkok (People's Daily) - The commercial contracts for the implementation of the three bridges crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway were recently signed.

The Three Bridges Project, worth $240 million, is a G-to-G cooperation project between China and the Philippines using the Chinese financing facility. It is part of the Twelve Priority Bridges under the Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project which aims to improve the road network and increase the transportation capacity in Metro Manila.

The ongoing China-funded Binondo-Intramuros Bridge and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge over the Pasig River are also key components of the Twelve Priority Bridges Project.

The first bridge is the North and South Harbor Bridge in the port area of Manila. The bridge is designed to be a two-way, four-lane bridge with the main bridge's length of 300 meters and a total length of 799 meters. The total implementation period is around 40 months. Once completed, the bridge will be able to accommodate more than 5,800 vehicles per day.

North & South Harbor Bridge. (Photo provided to People's Daily)

The second bridge is the Eastbank-Westbank Bridge connecting Pasig City and Cainta City over the Manggahan Floodway. The two-way, four-lane bridge will be 933 meters long with a 258-meter main bridge. It will carry more than 18,000 vehicles per day after a three-year construction.

Eastbank-Westbank Bridge (Photo provided to People's Daily)

The third bridge is the Palanca-Villegas Bridge crossing the Pasig River in Manila, a two-way, two-lane bridge with the main bridge's length of 100 meters and a total length of 225 meters. After a construction period of 26 months, the bridge is expected to carry over 2,900 vehicles per day.

Palanca-Villegas Bridge (Photo provided to People's Daily)

Both sides are now working on the loan agreement negotiations of the project. The construction of the three bridges is expected to begin in the first half of 2021.