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Tunneling activities for the 2.3-kilometer twin tube bi-lane road mountain tunnel, a component of the 45.5-kilometer (km) Davao City Bypass Construction Project, is almost halfway done
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The tunnel is part of contract package I-1, which is targeted for completion by December 2024
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Procurement activities for packages I-2 and I-3 are currently on-going
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Davao City Bypass Construction Project will reduce congestion in Davao City and cut travel time between Toril, Davao City and J.P. Laurel, Panabo City to 49 minutes from the current one hour and 45 minutes
Tunneling activities for the mountain tunnel component of the 45.5-kilometer (km) Davao City Bypass Construction Project is almost halfway done, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Public Works senior undersecretary Emil Sadain, in-charge of the implementation of DPWH infrastructure flagship projects, said in a statement that tunneling activities for the 2.3-kilometer twin tube bi-lane road mountain tunnel is on the verge of reaching halfway with total length excavated for southbound and northbound direction on both ends of north and south portal at a cumulative distance of about 1-kilometer.
Sadain said the tunnel is an important component of the Davao City Bypass Project, which is part of the 194 infrastructure flagship projects (IFP) identified as priority by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board.
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The tunnel construction is part of contract package I-1, the first of six contract packages, which commenced on December 2020. The joint venture of Shimizu Corp., Ulticon Builders Inc., and Takenaka Civil Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. is the contractor for the project.
Contract package I-1 costs P13.23 billion and is financed under the special terms for economic partnership (STEP) loan between the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The tunnel will incorporate facilities to ensure the safety of riding public and will be closely monitored by an operation and control center located in the north portal area, DPWH said.
Targeted for completion by December 2024, contract package I-1 also involves construction of four lanes 3.35 meters width concrete paved road with the total length of 7.90 kilometers, three pairs of bridge with the total length of 500 linear meters, two underpasses, two overpasses, 12 box culvert (waterway), and four at-grade road crossings.
The Davao City Bypass Construction Project begins at Brgy. Sirawan, Toril, Davao City and will end at Brgy. J.P. Laurel in Panabo City.
It is seen to improve the transport logistics and mitigate congestions in Davao City with travel time of just 49 minutes from the current one hour and 45 minutes via Maharlika Highway, thereby contributing to the economic and sound urban development of the city and the Davao Region.
For the other packages, procurement activities for packages I-2 and I-3 are currently on-going. Package II-1 started last January 2023 while procurement for package II-2 is also on-going and package II-3 is scheduled on the fourth quarter of this year.
