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The Department of Public Works and Highways has completed 1.3 kilometers of tunnel civil works for the 2.3km mountain tunnel component of the 45.5km Davao City Bypass Construction Project
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The tunnel’s two ends in the north and south portal are targeted to break or hole through by February 2024
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The tunneling works is the centerpiece of the P13.23-billion contract package 1-1 of the Davao City Bypass project
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed 1.3 kilometers of tunnel civil works of the 2.3km road mountain tunnel component for the Davao City Bypass Construction Project.
For the north portal of the twin-tube double-lane mountain tunnel project, the project contractor has already dug 625 meters northbound and 676 meters southbound, Public Works senior undersecretary Emil Sadain said in a statement. For the south portal, 678 meters northbound and 620 meters southbound have been dug.
Sadain said the tunnel’s two ends in the north and south portals are targeted to break or hole through by February 2024.
The tunneling works is the centerpiece of contract package 1-1 of the 45.5km Davao City Bypass project.
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Targeted for completion by December 2024, contract package 1-1, the first out of six contract packages, commenced on December 2020 with the joint venture of Shimizu Corp., Ulticon Builders Inc., and Takenaka Civil Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. as the contractor for the project.
Contract package 1-1 costs P13.23 billion and is financed by Special Terms for Economic Partnership Loan between the Philippine government and Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Other than the twin-tube 10-meter wide and 8-meter high tunnel, contract package 1-1 involves construction of four lanes portland concrete cement pavement road with the total length of 7.9km, 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.
Package 1-1 starts in the Davao-Digos Section of the Pan-Philippine Highway at Barangay Sirawan, South of Toril, Davao City, approximately 500 meters south of Lipadas Bridge.
It will proceed on a north-northwest direction towards Barangays Marapangi and Bato where it will shift slightly northwest direction upon crossing Lipadas River and will traverse Barangays Lubogan, Alambre, Bangakas Heights and will veer northward into Barangays Mulig and Bago Oshiro until it reaches the University of Philippines Mindanao Campus in Barangay Marapangi Mintal.
The alignment passes Tugbok Proper and will traverse the Davao-Bukidnon Road, cross the Talomo River and proceed on a northwesterly direction towards agricultural lands in Barangays Tacunan and Matina-Biao, cross Matina River, before it proceeds to the tunnel section in Barangay Magtuod.
After the tunnel section, it will continue in the same direction towards Barangay Waan, cross Davao River and continue towards Barangay Tigatto.
It will then proceed to Barangay Cabantian, where the alignment will shift into a northerly direction as it crosses Lasang River and passes towards Barangays Communal, Indangan, Mudiang, and Tibungco.
The alignment will then shift on a northerly to northwesterly direction as it passes through Barangay Mahayag, and makes another shift towards a northeasterly direction as it approaches Barangays San Isidro and Lasang. It will proceed in the same direction until it intersects with the Davao-Agusan National Highway in Barangay J.P. Laurel, Panabo City where the alignment will terminate.
The Davao City Bypass Construction Project is seen to improve the transport logistics and mitigate congestion in Davao City with travel time of just 49 minutes from the current 1 hour and 45 minutes via Maharlika Highway, thereby contributing to the economic and sound urban development of the City and the Davao Region.
