By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Travelling from this capital town to Boracay will be a lot easier, with less traffic, once the Kalibo Bridge II is complete.
Builders target to finish the bridge connecting Kalibo and Numancia towns in March next year.
With a budget of P370 million, the two-lane, 450 lineal-meter bridge is being built adjacent to the old Kalibo Bridge. Both bridges span the Aklan River.
It is one of the priority projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6.
To reduce potential damage from flooding, the new bridge is being constructed with a higher elevation compared to the old one.
Construction work includes bored piles for two abutment, eight piers, circular-type columns, strengthening of old bridge, street-lighting, and road right of way.
Phase I under the contractor AM Oreta and Co., Inc. was scheduled for completion in March.
On the other hand, Phase 2 under International Builders Corp. was slated to be finished March next year.
Once the bridge is finished, tourists going to Barangay Caticlan, Malay town — the gateway to Boracay — from here are seen to experience a smoother and faster travel.
Moreover, the Kalibo circumferential road from Tigayon (Kalibo) junction to Barangay Mina, Lezo via a 715-meter bridge to Barangay Calangcang, Makato, and the new Makato bypass road would reduce travel time from Kalibo to Caticlan and vice versa by 30 minutes.
The DPWH had already bid out the road projects.
In June, 27 families affected by the construction of Kalibo Bridge II received P10,000 financial aid and 10 galvanized iron sheets each from Gov. Florencio Miraflores and Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
