CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu Cordova Expressway (CCLEX) has marked another milestone as the Cordova town and Cebu City sides of the expressway have been connected to the main bridge on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.

The CCLEX Corporation (CCLEC) announced on Wednesday that the connection of the two sides include the installation of earthquake proof pillars.

“We have now connected the Cebu City and Cordova side back spans to the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) main bridge. These piers are among the strongest pillars of the toll expressway,” said a statement from CCLEC.

“The headstocks of these piers, shaped like a claw, are especially designed to securely hold the opposite ends and absorb movement of the main bridge deck. Attached on the inside of the headstocks’ claws are multidirectional bearings, which are energy-absorbing, that provide structural safety and stability during earthquakes,” it added.

In the recent visit of Transportation Secretary Mark Villar to the construction site, the CCLEC executives said the expressway is at 80 percent completion.

CCLEC targets the completion of the main bridge by the last quarter of the 2021 and full operations by the first quarter of 2022.

The expressway spans more than eight kilometers linking Cebu City to the town of Cordova.

The main bridge, commonly termed as the Third Bridge, has been proposed to be called Sto. Niño Bridge by Cebu City and Cordova town, although this proposal has yet to reach the Congress.