The Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, now called the Kalayaan Bridge, is finally opened having been inaugurated just in time as the country celebrated 123rd Independence Day on June 12.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said the inauguration of Kalayaan Bridge connecting Lawton Avenue in Makati City and Sta. Monica Street in Pasig City is a fitting Independence Day gift of President Rodrigo Duterte to the general public who will be relieved from traffic congestion going to and from Makati/BGC Taguig and Pasig/Mandaluyong City.
“Travel time between Bonifacio Global City and Pasig City/Mandaluyong City will be reduced to only 12 minutes.”
“With the opening of this bridge, DPWH is a few steps closer to completing the entire BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project that will reduce travel time between Bonifacio Global City and Pasig City/Mandaluyong City to only 12 minutes,” Villar said.
The ceremonial opening of the bridge was attended by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, BCDA Chairman Vince Dizon, MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos, DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain, DPWH Assistant Secretary Wilfredo Mallari, Pasig City Congressman Roman Romulo, Makati City Congressman Luis Campos, Taguig City Congresswoman Maria Laarni Cayetano, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay, and Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano.
Also present were DPWH Project Directors Virgilio Castillo, Benjamin Bautista, Ramon Arriola, and Johnson V. Domingo; and DPWH Project Manager Ricarte Mañalac and Project Engineer Emmanuel Regodon.
Extensive coordination, collaboration and adapting to the new normal helped the DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) team overcome the challenges in the execution of the project through the pandemic.
According to Sadain who was in-charge of DPWH UPMO Operations, the 1.367-kilometer BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project involved the construction of Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, the rehabilitation and widening of 362-meter Brixton (corner Reliance Street) to Fairlane Street, and the construction of 565-meter Lawton Avenue – Global City Viaduct which will traverse Lawton Avenue to the entrance of BGC is part of a bigger EDSA Decongestion Program.
The viaduct structure traversing Lawton Avenue up to the entrance of the BGC is targeted for completion by the last quarter of 2021.
When fully completed, it will be able to accommodate as much as 20% of the traffic volume of EDSA and C-5 Road.
When fully completed, the bridge and road project will be able to accommodate as much as 20 percent of the traffic volume of EDSA and C-5 Road.
