Samal Island – Davao City Connector Bridge Project Groundbreaking
Samal Island – Davao City Connector (SIDC) groundbreaking was held this Thursday morning, October 27, 2022 with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in attendance along with Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Chinese Ambassador Mr. Huang Xilian.
Also present in the event were National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo, and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Floirendo Lagdameo. The said groundbreaking event was held in Buhangin District.
The SIDC is a long awaited connector bridge under the Build, Better, More project. It is finally starting to become a reality after so many years for those who have been waiting for it to be built. It is supposed to enhance internal mobility and external link within the region. The P23 billion bridge will connect Samal Circumferential Road in Barangay Limao, Island Garden City of Samal and R. Castillo – Daang Maharlika junction in Davao City. It will be crossing over Pakiputan Strait in Samal.
Set target completion of this bridge and become operational in five (5) years which will be in 2027. It will be a two (2) way and four (4) lane cable iconic bridge which is 3.98 kilometers long. It will have a width of 24 meters, vertical navigational clearance of 47 meters supported by 2 pylons which will be 73 meters in height.
(The pylons make me think of the twin pylons of the CCLEX or Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway which perhaps also made the DPWH Secretary somehow mention Samal and metro “Cebu” instead of saying metro Davao in his speech during the groundbreaking in case you noticed it (on 8:41 of the video).
Traveling to Samal will now be easier and more convenient in 5 years time. According to the presentation, it will shorten our travel time coming from Davao City going to Samal which is usually 30 to 50 minutes via ferry to just 4.5 minutes to 5 minutes. Given traffic will be smooth perhaps. For those who knows it sometimes takes an hour or 3 hours worse lining up and waiting to cross Samal from Davao, the shortened and more comfortable travel time will be welcomed.
I wonder how much will be the SIDC toll fee rates, if any?
For CCLEX as of now, for reference only:
- Cars, Motorcyles, SUVs, Jeepneys – Php 90
- Vehicles with Recreational Equipment – Php 180
- Buses, Light Trucks – Php 180
- Heavy Trucks and Trailers – Php 270
Hoping it will be at a reasonable price by then for SIDC by 2027.
