MANILA, Philippines – The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, also referred to as the “Rockwell bridge,” will be closed for 30 months starting Sunday, September 23.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will demolish the bridge and replace it with a wider one.

“At 8 am on Sunday, the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic. From two lanes, the replacement bridge will have 4 lanes,” Garcia announced in a press briefing on Thursday, September 20.

The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge connects Estrella Street in Makati City and Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong City.

The MMDA estimated around 100,000 vehicles will be affected by the closure.

It warned the public of heavier traffic on EDSA, as vehicles would be diverted to the Guadalupe Bridge in Makati City.

“Please bear with us. This is just one project under the government’s effort to address traffic in Metro Manila,” Garcia said.

The project is part of a P5.27-billion Chinese grant, which covers the survey, design, and construction not just of the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, but also the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila.

The new Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge is set to be completed in 2021, with China Road and Bridge Corporation conducting the civil works.

Aside from the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, the Otis Bridge and Old Sta Mesa Bridge in Manila are being repaired as well, while the N Domingo Bridge in San Juan City will be demolished. – Rappler.com