THE Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) announced that the Davao City Bypass Construction Project roadway, which includes the tunnel, is already 56.48 percent complete.
Dean Ortiz, spokesperson for DPWH-Davao, said during the Wednesday media forum on November 27, 2024, at Ayala Malls Abreeza, that the project is divided into four packages, with two still under procurement. For Package 1-1, which includes the tunnel, the roadway is already 56.48 percent complete.
Ortiz also reported that the Matina Bridge 1 is at 35 percent completion, while Matina Bridge 2 is at 39.89 percent completion. Matina Bridge 2 will be the sixth bridge crossing in Davao Region. He further explained that Overpasses 1 and 2 are 51 percent complete, while Underpasses 1 and 2 are at 57.02 percent completion.
Meanwhile, the tunnel is already 70.41 percent complete. Ortiz said that the south portal needs only 420 meters of excavation, while the north portal requires 199 meters of digging to connect both tunnels.
“So the timeline of the project, we began in 2020 and we intend to finish this by 2027,” he said.
DPWH-Davao emphasized that Road Right of Way (RROW) issues and unpredictable weather have caused delays, but Ortiz stated that they have not encountered any major challenges that would significantly hinder the project’s progress.
Regarding the RROW issues, he explained that some land acquisitions are still being negotiated, while others are undergoing expropriation processes.
The total cost of the project is P70.81 billion. The 45.5-kilometer bypass road will run from Toril in Davao City to J.P. Laurel in Panabo City. One of the project’s key features is the 2.3-kilometer twin tunnel, which is set to be the longest in the Philippines. RGP
