Total length 5,000 m | Official name Candaba Viaduct Opened 1976 Bridge type Viaduct | |
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Crosses Candaba SwampsPampanga River Other name(s) Pulilan–Apalit Bridge (STA 46+932 - 52+118) Maintained by Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) Similar San Juanico Bridge, Magapit Suspension Bridge, Buntun Bridge, Mactan‑Mandaue Bridge, Patapat Viaduct | ||
hd candaba viaduct pampanga the longest bridge in the philippines
The Candaba Viaduct (also known as Pulilan–Apalit Bridge) is a 5 kilometres (3 mi) bridge passing over the Candaba Swamp and adjacent Pampanga River in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and connects the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan, hence its alternative name. Consisting of four lanes (two northbound and two southbound), it is one of the longest bridges in the Philippines. The viaduct was designed by Aas-Jakobsen and built by Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP, later renamed to Philippine National Construction Corporation) as part of construction of the whole NLEX.
Built in 1976, the bridge and the whole stretch of NLEX were constructed as a component project of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development through the direction Ministry of Public Highways. The project was completed in 1977 and through Presidential Decree 1113, then President Ferdinand Marcos granted CDCP the franchise to maintain and operate the NLEX including the Candaba Viaduct. On February 10, 2005, the operations and maintenance of the whole of NLEX were transferred to the Manila North Tollways Corporation.
Overlooking Mount Arayat, the viaduct is raised over Candaba Swamp, which keeps the highway open to traffic, even when the swamp gets flooded during the rainy or monsoon season. Lighting, emergency callboxes and CCTVs along the viaduct are powered by solar panels due to the problem of installing power lines within the viaduct.
In February 2017, it was announced that Candaba Viaduct will be expanded and will be having new expressway lanes on both sides of the bridge.
