Candaba Viaduct

Candaba Viaduct
The viaduct in 2022 before the construction of the third viaduct
Coordinates14°57′15″N 120°46′36″E / 14.9542°N 120.7767°E / 14.9542; 120.7767
Carries9 lanes of AH26 (North Luzon Expressway)
CrossesCandaba Swamp
Pampanga River
Locale
Official nameCandaba Viaduct
Other name(s)Pulilan–Apalit Bridge
Candaba Pampanga Viaduct (STA 46+938 – 52+188)
Maintained byNLEX Corporation (Tollways Management Corporation)
Characteristics
DesignViaduct
MaterialConcrete, asphalt
Total length5 km (3.1 mi)
Width12 m (39 ft) per direction
Height15 m (49 ft 3 in)
6.1 m (20 ft)
No. of lanesNine-lane triple carriageway (3 carriageways × 3 lanes)
History
DesignerAas-Jakobsen
Engineering design by
Norconsult
Constructed by
Construction startApril 1974
OpenedMay 17, 1977; 49 years ago (1977-05-17)
Statistics
TollSee NLEX toll matrix
Location
Interactive map of Candaba Viaduct

The Candaba Viaduct, also known as the Pulilan–Apalit Bridge and the Candaba Pampanga Viaduct, is a 5-kilometer (3.1 mi) viaduct carrying the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) across the Candaba Swamp in the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan, Philippines. It consists of nine lanes, with three northbound and six southbound. Upon its opening in 1977, it was the longest bridge in the Philippines, a distinction it held until 2021, when it was surpassed by the 8.9-kilometer (5.5 mi) Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). It is currently the second-longest bridge in the country. The viaduct was designed by Aas-Jakobsen and built by Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP) as part of the construction of the NLEX.

The viaduct is elevated approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) above the Candaba Swamp and Pampanga River, allowing the NLEX to remain open to traffic when the swamp floods during the rainy or monsoon season. Its elevation is approximately the same as the current elevation of Bacolor, Pampanga, which was raised by lahar deposits following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo between 1991 and 1995.

The viaduct is equipped with lighting, emergency callboxes, and CCTVs powered by solar panels, as installing power lines along the viaduct is difficult.

Route description

Candaba Viaduct before the 2016–2017 expansion

The Candaba Viaduct crosses the Candaba Swamp and Pampanga River, connecting Pampanga and Bulacan. Most of the surrounding area consists of rice paddies, trees, and roadside billboards.

The viaduct begins in Dulong Malabon, Pulilan, Bulacan, where several houses are located beneath it, before entering Calumpit. It then enters Apalit, Pampanga with the provincial boundary is marked by a power line wire located between lattice tower 267 and steel pole 268 of relocated San Simon–Pulilan section of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak Transmission Line of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) at an area with palm trees farther from the viaduct. The viaduct continues on a straight direction before crossing Apalit Bypass Road, the Pampanga River, and Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez Avenue where it ends, with the two aforementioned roads have no direct access into it. The Apalit Church and town proper are visible from the viaduct.

History

In 1974, construction began on the 50-kilometer (31 mi) Manila North Expressway Extension. The Candaba Viaduct was constructed in 1977 as part of the project and initially consisted of a single bridge. The project was financed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and constructed under the direction of the Ministry of Public Highways. Through Presidential Decree No. 1113, President Ferdinand Marcos granted the Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP) a franchise to maintain and operate the expressway, including the Candaba Viaduct. The second bridge opened to motorists in 1978.

The operations and maintenance of the NLEX, including the Candaba Viaduct, were transferred to NLEX Corporation on February 10, 2005.

From 2016 to 2017, the Candaba Viaduct was expanded, adding a third lane in each direction. First Balfour undertook the construction of emergency lay-by bays and a 320-meter (1,050 ft) median crossover.

In February 2023, Leighton Asia was awarded the ₱7.89-billion construction contract for a third viaduct. Construction of the 5.3-kilometer (3.3 mi) Third Candaba Viaduct began in April 2023. The new viaduct was located between the existing northbound and southbound bridges and was intended to carry part of the traffic load from the existing bridges. It also included an intersection with the Apalit Bypass Road and was initially expected to be completed in 2024.

By February 2024, construction of the Third Candaba Viaduct was 50% complete. The project reached this milestone following the installation of its first girder, marking the transition from heavy groundwork construction to road-level work. The president and general manager of NLEX Corporation, Jose Luigi L. Bautista, also signed a ₱10-billion loan agreement with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to fund the project's completion.

The Third Candaba Viaduct opened to traffic in segments in 2024, with Pulilan Zone 1 opening in August, Apalit Zone 2 in October, and Apalit Zone 3 in December. On December 10, President Bongbong Marcos, together with Manny Pangilinan and Speaker Martin Romualdez, led the inauguration and opening ceremony of the Third Candaba Viaduct at BigBen Farm, North Polo Club's Barn Events in Tabon, Pulilan. Following the opening, the existing southbound bridge was temporarily closed as traffic was transferred to the new viaduct.

The Candaba Viaduct is referenced in a popular joke: "Mula sa kabila, itlog. Pagtawid naging 'ibon' na sa haba ng tulay" (transl. "From the other end, it was still an egg. Upon reaching the other end, it had become a 'bird' because of the length of the bridge"). The joke is based on the similarity between the Kapampangan word ebun, meaning "egg", and the Tagalog word ibon, meaning "bird".

The viaduct was one of the key locations in the Philippine action TV series FPJ's Batang Quiapo on several occasions throughout the show.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Candaba Viaduct". Structurae. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "PNCC Projects". Philippine National Construction Corporation. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Messages of the President Book 10: Ferdinand E. Marcos (Volume 3)". Office of the President of the Philippines.
  4. 1 2 Dy, Rolando T. (August 30, 2016). "Bridges for Development". BusinessWorld (Opinion). Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  5. ↑ Kakabadse, Yolanda (May 20, 2014). "How to Prepare for Our Future Climate". World Economic Forum. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ Remo, Amy R. (August 9, 2011). "Solar-Powered Lamp Posts Eyed for NLEx". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  7. ↑ Philippine Development, Volume 5. Office of the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority. 1977.
  8. ↑ Philippine Yearbook 1979. Bureau of the Census and Statistics. 1979.
  9. ↑ "Presidential Decree No. 1113" – via The Lawphil Project.
  10. ↑ "My father, the builder". Philstar Life. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Our Company". Philippine National Construction Corporation. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  12. ↑ "P2.6b Nlex Expansion in the Offing". Manila Standard. February 23, 2017. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  13. ↑ "North Luzon Expressway - Road Widening". First Balfour. May 31, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  14. ↑ "NLEX signs deal with Leighton for Candaba 3rd Viaduct". Zigwheels. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  15. ↑ "NLEx operator eyes November 2024 opening for third viaduct in Candaba". Philippine Daily Inquirer. June 22, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ Rosales, Elijah Felice. "NLEX to invest P8 billion for 3rd Candaba viaduct". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  17. ↑ De Leon, Jovi. "3rd Candaba viaduct 30.58% complete". SunStar. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  18. ↑ "NLEX Corporation reaches the halfway mark for Candaba 3rd Viaduct project". AutoIndustriya.com. February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  19. ↑ De Leon, Jovi. "3rd Candaba viaduct 30.58% complete". SunStar. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  20. ↑ "NLEX: Candaba project done soon". The Manila Times. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  21. ↑ Gita-Carlos, Ruth Abbey (December 10, 2024). "NLEX Candaba 3rd Viaduct to spur economic trade, tourism growth — PBBM". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  22. ↑ Ocampo, Ambeth R. (October 22, 2013). "Boom tarat tarat!". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  23. ↑ Pascual, Federico D. Jr. (May 14, 2009). "Crossing a river, their 'itlog' turns into 'ebun'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  24. ↑ Ocampo, Ambeth R. (June 30, 2023). "History on the tongue". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2024.

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