NEW BRIDGE. The aerial view of San Juanico Bridge that connects the islands of Leyte and Samar. The national government will need PHP9.17 billion to build the second San Juanico Bridge, an alternative structure that connects the two islands, the Department of Public Works and Highways said on Tuesday (July 26, 2022). (Photo courtesy of Lyle Arañas)
TACLOBAN CITY – The national government will need PHP9.17 billion to build the second San Juanico Bridge connecting the islands of Leyte and Samar, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Tuesday.
DPWH Eastern Visayas regional director Allan Borromeo said the conduct of initial feasibility study for the proposed project has been completed and it passed the 10 percent economic internal rate of return set by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
The proposed budget will primarily be used for the construction of bridge superstructure, substructure, embankment, concrete girders, and relocation of power transmission lines, according to a study by DPWH and Japan International Cooperation Agency.
“The land transportation between the islands of Samar and Leyte depends only on the existing San Juanico Bridge with two lanes built in the 1960s. The traffic volume has been increasing every year,” Borromeo said in an interview.
In 2019, traffic volume in San Juanico Bridge is 7,200 vehicles daily, close to its 10,000 daily capacity.
In 2030, the figure is expected to increase to 10,900 every day, more than its limit. The number is expected to reach 15,900 in 2040.
The 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge is within the primary highway that connects Luzon to Mindanao.
The proposed bridge will connect the towns of Babatngon, Leyte and Sta. Rita, Samar. It will cross Janbatas Channel, a portion of the San Juanico Strait that separates the region’s two major islands.
The proposed bridge will have a length of 1.24 kilometers that starts in Guintigui-an village in Babatngon, Leyte, and will end in San Pascual village in Sta. Rita, Samar.
Borromeo said this is an urgent study considering that the San Juanico Bridge, built in 1973, is encountering issues, such as aging and high maintenance costs. (PNA)
