Bucana bridge nears completion

The Bucana Bridge in Davao City is 94 percent complete, with officials aiming for a full opening before the end of the year, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The 1,340-meter bridge, which spans the Davao River, is expected to open to motorists in the last quarter of 2025.

According to DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain, the bridge’s main structure is finished, with crews now focused on final tasks, including installing traffic barriers and pedestrian railings and applying the asphalt overlay to the deck.

The 19.5-meter-high pylons have received their first coat of paint, and work on the approach roads is underway.

The bridge is a key part of the Davao City Coastal Bypass Road, designed to ease traffic congestion in downtown areas by linking Barangays 76-A Bucana and Matina Aplaya.

Once open, the four-lane bridge and its 860 meters of approach roads are expected to provide faster and safer travel between the city’s eastern and western coasts.

The P3.126-billion project is a grant from the Chinese government and is being built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation. Construction began in November 2023.

Local officials and project engineers, led by Sadain, inspected the site Friday. The bridge’s completion is expected to not only relieve traffic but also improve regional connectivity for Davao City’s growing coastal districts.