The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge that links the cities of Makati and Mandaluyong across Pasig River finally opened Thursday, July 29, and will start catering to traffic Friday, July 30.

“Despite the challenges, DPWH delivered its commitment for the July opening of the modern Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge,” Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said.

President Duterte graced the symbolic unveiling of a bridge marker in Rockwell, Makati City.

The modern bridge will connect Estrella Street in Makati City to Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong City. It is a four-lane bridge that will replace the old temporary steel truss bridge connecting the two cities which used to be a two-way bridge with a single lane per direction.

Built at a cost of P1.46 billion, the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge Project is one of the two bridges funded by a grant of the People’s Republic of China – the other one is Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila expected to be finished at the end of the year.

Construction of the bridge included the 50.5-meter approach road on Estrella Street, 66-meter Makati approach bridge, 146-meter main bridge and 243.96-meter approach road on Barangka Drive connected to Pantaleon Street in Mandaluyong City for a total length of 506.46 meters.

A sidewalk with railings for pedestrians was also incorporated in the bridge’s design.

According to Villar, after the bridge's opening, they will start to widen Pantaleon Street from two lanes to four.

“So that by next year, Pantaleon Street will have four lanes like the Barangka Drive. Motorists will then be given more options when they reach the Mandaluyong side of the bridge,” the secretary said during the final inspection of the bridge on July 28.

The bridge, which is among the projects under the Metro Manila Logistics Improvement Network to address traffic congestion including that of EDSA, is expected to accommodate about 50,000 vehicles daily.

Construction of the bridge started in January 2019. If not for the unprecedented coronavirus disease pandemic, it could have been opened earlier this year.

“While this pandemic may have slowed down and disrupted the implementation of this bridge project, the DPWH-Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Roads Management Cluster 1 Team and contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation have worked double time,” Villar said.

“China Road and Bridge Corporation demonstrated a high level of expertise during the construction process and trained Filipino Construction Workers in using the traveller form technology,” Villar added.

Meanwhile, the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge recently reached a 72 percent complete, inching closer to its “substantial completion” in December 2021.

The P3.39-billion bridge project will connect the historic district of Intramuros on Solana Street and Riverside Drive to the bustling district of Binondo on Rentas Street/Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle dela Industria.

The fabricated steel box girders, which will be utilized for the viaduct and ramp over Estero de Binondo, are expected to arrive from China by August 2021.

Once completed, the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge will carry extra traffic of around 30,000 vehicles per day from key roads in the city of Manila. It will also help extend the life of existing Jones, Delpan and MacArthur Bridges by decongesting traffic.