MANILA - The new expressway connecting the islands of Mactan and Cebu moved a step closer to opening after construction workers closed the 2-meter gap in the bridge, the project’s builder said on Wednesday.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp (MPTC) said the bridge decks of the two main towers of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) were joined and concreted Tuesday.

The new expressway is slated to open in the first quarter of 2022, according to the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp (CCLEC), the MPTC subsidiary that will operate the tollway.

“We can’t wait to see Cebuanos enjoy the ultimate expressway experience afforded by using this bridge,” said CCLEC president and general manager Allan Alfon.

CCLEX will be connecting Cebu City and the town of Cordova on Mactan Island, and will be the third bridge connecting the two islands.

The main bridge deck hovers 51 meters above the Mactan Channel, while the bridge itself is almost 2.8 kilometers long. Its two main bridge towers are 145 meters tall, and the whole expressway spans to 8.9 kilometers.

MPTC said CCLEX has a design speed of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour and was designed to allow large vessels to pass safely underneath the bridge. The new tollway will also use a fully electronic collection system.

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