Candaba Viaduct
The Candaba Viaduct (also known as Pulilan–Apalit Bridge) is a 5-kilometer (3.1 mi) viaduct carrying the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) across the Candaba Swamp in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, Philippines consisting of six lanes (three northbound and three southbound). In 1976, it surpassed the San Juanico Bridge (finished 1973) to become the longest bridge in the Philippines. In 2022, it was surpassed by the 8.9 km Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) and the viaduct is now the second longest bridge in the country.[3] The viaduct was designed by Aas-Jakobsen[1] and built by Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP, later renamed to Philippine National Construction Corporation) as part of construction of the whole NLEX.[2]
Candaba Viaduct | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 14°57′15″N 120°46′36″E / 14.9542°N 120.7767°ECoordinates: 14°57′15″N 120°46′36″E / 14.9542°N 120.7767°E |
| Carries | 6 lanes of E1 (North Luzon Expressway) |
| Crosses | Candaba Swamps Pampanga River |
| Locale | Apalit, Pampanga Calumpit, Bulacan Pulilan, Bulacan |
| Official name | Candaba Viaduct |
| Other name(s) | Pulilan-Apalit Bridge Candaba Pampanga Viaduct (STA 46+938 – 52+188) |
| Maintained by | NLEX Corporation (Tollways Management Corporation) |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Viaduct |
| Material | Concrete, Asphalt |
| Total length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Width | 12 m (39 ft) per direction |
| Height | 15 m (49 ft 3 in) |
| No. of lanes | Six-lane double carriageway (three lanes per direction) |
| History | |
| Designer | Norconsult[1] |
| Constructed by | Philippine National Construction Corporation[2] |
| Construction start | 1974 |
| Construction end | 1976 |
| Opened | 1977 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | See NLEX toll matrix |
| Location | |
Built in 1976, the bridge and the whole stretch of NLEX were constructed as a component project of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development through the direction of the Ministry of Public Highways.[2] The project was completed in 1977 and through Presidential Decree No. 1113, then President Ferdinand Marcos granted CDCP the franchise to maintain and operate the NLEX including the Candaba Viaduct.[4] On February 10, 2005, the operations and maintenance of the whole of NLEX were transferred to the Manila North Tollways Corporation (now NLEX Corporation).[5]
Overlooking Mount Arayat in the east and Zambales Mountains in the west, the viaduct is raised over Candaba Swamp, which keeps the highway open to traffic, even when the swamp gets flooded during the rainy or monsoon season.[6] Lighting, emergency callboxes and CCTVs along the viaduct are powered by solar panels due to the problem of installing power lines within the viaduct.[7]
The viaduct also serves as a major utility corridor, serving as the right-of-way of relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak 230,000-volt transmission line where the said power line segment underwent relocation from February 18, 2008 to June 2011 to accommodate the widening and expansion of MacArthur Highway from San Simon, Pampanga to Calumpit, Bulacan and Pulilan Regional Road from Calumpit to NLEX Pulilan Exit in Pulilan, where the steel poles posed a safety hazard. The Hermosa–San Jose 500,000-volt line, currently under construction, intersects with the viaduct and also visible from it.
In February 2017, it was announced that Candaba Viaduct would be expanded and would have a third lane on both sides of the bridge.[8]
Route description
The Candaba Viaduct passes over Candaba Swamp and adjacent Pampanga River and connects the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan.[3] Most of its portions are lined with billboards, rice paddies, and some trees.
The viaduct starts at Barangay Dulong Malabon in Pulilan where there are a few houses located under it and after a few meters, it enters the municipality of Calumpit. It enters Pampanga (Apalit) upon approaching a lay-by located before passing an area with palm trees and continues on a straight route. It then passes through Apalit Bypass Road and Pampanga River, by which the parish church is located, visible from the road. A footbridge is located on its southbound lane. The bridge ends after crossing Pampanga River.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Candaba Viaduct". Structurae. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ a b c "PNCC Projects". Philippine National Construction Corporation. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ a b Dy, Rolando T. (August 30, 2016). . BusinessWorld (Opinion). Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- ^ Presidential Decree No. 1113 – via The Lawphil Project.
- ^ "Our Company". Philippine National Construction Corporation. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ Kakabadse, Yolanda (May 20, 2014). "How to Prepare for Our Future Climate". World Economic Forum. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ Remo, Amy R. (August 9, 2011). "Solar-Powered Lamp Posts Eyed for NLEx". Inquirer.net. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ . Manila Standard. February 23, 2017. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
External links
Media related to Candaba Viaduct at Wikimedia Commons