By: Calvin Cordova, as seen on https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/16/villar-satisfied-with-progress-of-cclex-in-cebu-now-80-complete/, July 16, 2021.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar is satisfied with the progress of the construction of the P30-billion Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).

Villar inspected the 8.5-kilometer CCLEX Friday, July 16, which is already 80 percent complete.

CCLEX will be the third bridge connecting Mactan Island and mainland Cebu.

“By March next year, it will already be operational. The construction is continuing and the progress is very good,” Villar said.

Villar said the near completion of the CCLEX is an indication how active is the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program is, especially in Cebu.

Villar said once completed, the CCLEX will be a big complement to the two existing bridges.

“This will really help address the congestion,” said Villar, who was accompanied by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar during the inspection.

The CCLEX was initially expected to be completed by December this year but the construction was delayed by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were also hit by the pandemic. We had problems with supply chain. Some of our expat workers were stranded abroad and some of our workers got infected,” said Allan Alfon, president and general manager of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corp.

Although the threat of COVID-19 remains, Alfon expressed confidence that the bridge will be operational by late February or early March next year.

“We have already introduced ways and means of managing the pandemic. Our workers are being quartered in houses, in hotels, condominiums and a lot are in the barracks. They are shuttled from the point of location to control the movement and minimize their exposure outside,” Alfon said.

The bridge is designed to serve 400-cc and above vehicles but a study will be conducted to determine the possibility of allowing motorcycles to access the facility.

Toll rates will depend on the kind of vehicles accessing the bridge, Alfon said. “For different classes of vehicles, it will be different toll,” Alfon said.