Candaba Viaduct

{{Copy edit|date=April 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox bridge | bridge_name = Candaba Viaduct | alt = | image = NLEX candaba Viaduct 03.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = The viaduct in 2022 before the construction of the third viaduct | official_name = Candaba Viaduct | other_name = Pulilan–Apalit Bridge Candaba Pampanga Viaduct (STA 46+938 – 52+188) | carries = 9 lanes of {{Jct|country=PHL|E|1|name1=North Luzon Expressway}} | crosses = Candaba Swamp Pampanga River | locale = Apalit, Pampanga Calumpit, Bulacan Pulilan, Bulacan | maint = NLEX Corporation (Tollways Management Corporation) | id = | designer = Aas-Jakobsen<ref name="structurae">{{Cite web |title=Candaba Viaduct |url=https://structurae.net/structures/candaba-viaduct |access-date=March 2, 2017 |website=Structurae}}</ref> | design = Viaduct | material = Concrete, asphalt | pierswater = | length = {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|12|m|ft|abbr=on}} per direction | height = {{height|m=15|precision=0}} | clearance_below = {{Convert|6.1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} | mainspan = | spans = | load = | clearance = | lanes = Nine-lane triple carriageway (three lanes per direction) | below = | traffic = | engineering = Norconsult | builder = Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (later Philippine National Construction Corporation; original bridges)<ref name="pncc">{{Cite web |title=PNCC Projects |url=http://www.pncc.ph/projects_slex.htm |access-date=February 24, 2022 |website=Philippine National Construction Corporation}}</ref> First Balfour (emergency lay-by bays and median crossovers) Leighton Asia (third bridge) | begin = 1974 | open = 1977 | life = | preceded = | followed = | heritage = | collapsed = | closed = | toll = ''See NLEX toll matrix'' | coordinates = {{coord|14.9542|120.7767|format=dms|dim:30_region:PH_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | extra = }}

The '''Candaba Viaduct''', also known as the '''Pulilan–Apalit Bridge''' and the '''Candaba Pampanga Viaduct''', is a {{convert|5|km|sp=us|adj=on}} viaduct carrying the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) across the Candaba Swamp in the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan, Philippines. It consists of nine lanes (three northbound and six southbound). It was the longest bridge in the Philippines upon its opening in 1977 until it was surpassed in 2021 by the 8.9 km Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), making the viaduct the second-longest bridge in the country. 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.<ref name=pncc /><ref name=structurae /><ref name="Dy 2016">{{Cite news |last=Dy |first=Rolando T. |date=August 30, 2016 |title=Bridges for Development |work=BusinessWorld |type=Opinion |url=http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Opinion&title=bridges-for-development&id=132663 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714183734/http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Opinion&title=bridges-for-development&id=132663 |archive-date=July 14, 2018}}</ref>

Overlooking Mount Arayat to the east, and the Zambales Mountains and province of Bataan to the west, the viaduct is raised over Candaba Swamp and Pampanga River by 20 feet (6.1 m), about the same as the current elevation of Bacolor, also in Pampanga, after lahars that resulted from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo affected the municipality from 1991 to 1995, which keeps the highway open to traffic, even when the swamp gets flooded during the rainy or monsoon season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kakabadse |first=Yolanda |date=May 20, 2014 |title=How to Prepare for Our Future Climate |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/05/climate-prepared-east-asia-2014/ |access-date=February 24, 2022 |website=World Economic Forum}}</ref> Lighting, emergency callboxes and CCTVs along the viaduct are powered by solar panels due to the problem of installing power lines within the viaduct.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Remo |first=Amy R. |date=August 9, 2011 |title=Solar-Powered Lamp Posts Eyed for NLEx |url=https://business.inquirer.net/11831/solar-powered-lamp-posts-eyed-for-nlex |access-date=February 24, 2022 |website=Inquirer.net}}</ref>

==Route description== thumb|left|Candaba Viaduct before the 2016–2017 expansion The Candaba Viaduct passes over Candaba Swamp and adjacent Pampanga River and connects the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan.<ref name="Dy 2016" /> Most of its portions are lined with billboards, rice paddies, and some trees.

The viaduct starts at Barangay Dulong Malabon in Pulilan where there are a few houses located under it and after a few meters, it enters the municipality of Calumpit. After another few meters of passing Calumpit, it enters Pampanga (Apalit) upon passing an intersection of relocated San Simon–Pulilan section of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak and Hermosa–Marilao–San Jose transmission lines of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) serving as a sign for the exact provincial boundary between two provinces and continues on a straight route. It then passes through an area with palm trees, Apalit Bypass Road (with no junction or exit to serve the bypass road) and Pampanga River, by which the parish church and Apalit town proper are located, visible from the road. A footbridge is located on its southbound lane. The bridge ends after crossing Pampanga River.

==History== In 1974, the extension of the expressway of {{convert|50|km|sp=us}} began construction, and in 1977, the viaduct was constructed, which was initially a single bridge. The project was constructed as a component project of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development under the direction of the Ministry of Public Highways, and through Presidential Decree No. 1113, President Ferdinand Marcos granted CDCP the franchise to maintain and operate the expressway, including the Candaba Viaduct.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Philippine Development, Volume 5 |publisher=Office of the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority |year=1977}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Philippine Yearbook 1979 |publisher=Bureau of the Census and Statistics |year=1979}}</ref><ref name=pncc /><ref>{{Citation |title=Presidential Decree No. 1113 |url=http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/presdecs/pd1977/pd_1113_1977.html |mode=cs1 |via=The Lawphil Project}}</ref> The second bridge became accessible to motorists in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |title=My father, the builder |url=https://philstarlife.com/news-and-views/772915-rudy-cuenca-father-builder? |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Philstar Life}}</ref>

The operations and maintenance of the whole of NLEX, including Candaba Viaduct, were transferred to NLEX Corporation on February 10, 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Company |url=http://www.pncc.ph/home_our_company.htm |access-date=February 24, 2022 |website=Philippine National Construction Corporation}}</ref>

From 2016 to 2017, the Candaba Viaduct was expanded and added a third lane on both sides of the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 23, 2017 |title=P2.6b Nlex Expansion in the Offing |work=Manila Standard |url=http://www.thestandard.com.ph/wheels-more-motoring-quarterly/commuters/230150/p2-6b-nlex-expansion-in-the-offing.html |url-status=dead |access-date=March 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303203047/http://www.thestandard.com.ph/wheels-more-motoring-quarterly/commuters/230150/p2-6b-nlex-expansion-in-the-offing.html |archive-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> First Balfour undertaken the construction of emergency lay-by bays and a 320-linear-meter median crossover.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-31 |title=North Luzon Expressway - Road Widening |url=https://firstbalfour.com/track-record/north-luzon-expressway-road-widening/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=First Balfour |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2023, Leighton Asia was given the P7.89-billion construction contract for the third bridge, and in April of the same year, the 5.3-kilometer (3.3 mi) Third Candaba Viaduct was started to be built between the viaduct's northbound and southbound lanes. It is built to unload some of the weight passing through the existing bridges. It intersects the Apalit Bypass Road and was expected to be completed by 2024. 2x3 lanes without shoulders is being constructed, from 3 lanes without shoulder to 3 lanes with inner and outer shoulders in each direction which increases speed from 60 to 80 km. per hour, using green and sustainable engineering practices. It will have piers at every 20 meters each supported by 2 columns and 2 bored piles that will strengthen the structure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NLEX signs deal with Leighton for Candaba 3rd Viaduct |url=https://www.zigwheels.ph/car-news/nlex-signs-deal-with-leighton-for-candaba-3rd-viaduct |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=Zigwheels |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-22 |title=NLEx operator eyes November 2024 opening for third viaduct in Candaba |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1791540/nlex-operator-eyes-november-2024-opening-for-third-viaduct-in-candaba |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosales |first=Elijah Felice |title=NLEX to invest P8 billion for 3rd Candaba viaduct |url=https://www.philstar.com/business/2023/06/22/2275552/nlex-invest-p8-billion-3rd-candaba-viaduct |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref>

As of February 2024, the construction of the Third Candaba Viaduct is 50% complete. Jose Luigi L. Bautista signed a {{Philippine peso|10 billion|link=yes}} loan agreement with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) for funding to ensure its completion in November 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/3rd-candaba-viaduct-3058-complete#google_vignette| title= 3rd Candaba viaduct 30.58% complete|first=Jovi|last=De Leon|website=SunStar|date=January 12, 2024 }}</ref> The NLEX Corporation on February 26, 2024, said that the successful first girder installation marked the transition from heavy groundwork construction to road-level work. The project reached the halfway mark a significant milestone.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=NLEX Corporation reaches the halfway mark for Candaba 3rd Viaduct project|url= https://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/nlex-candaba-3rd-viaduct-construction-now-at-50-percent.html|accessdate=February 27, 2024 |publisher=AutoIndustriya.com |date=February 26, 2024}}</ref>

The project was opened in segments, with the Pulilan Zone 1 being opened in August 2024, Apalit Zone 2 in October, and Apalit Zone 3 in December.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=NLEX: Candaba project done soon|url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/09/14/business/corporate-news/nlex-candaba-project-done-soon/1971413 |accessdate=September 15, 2024 |work= The Manila Times|date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Hereafter, President Bongbong Marcos, with Manny Pangilinan and Speaker Martin Romualdez led the inauguration and opening of the Third Candaba Viaduct at BigBen Farm, North Polo Club' Barn Events, Barangay Tabon, Pulilan.<ref>{{cite news |last1= GitaCarlos|first1= Ruth Abbey |title=NLEX Candaba 3rd Viaduct to spur economic trade, tourism growth — PBBM|url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1239612 |accessdate=December 10, 2024 |work= Philippine News Agency|date=December 10, 2024}}</ref> Later, the southbound bridge was temporarily closed when vehicles passed through the third viaduct. <gallery class="center" caption="Third Candaba Viaduct Construction" widths="140px" heights="140px"> File:Third_Candaba_Viaduct1.jpg|Pulilan NLEX access road File:Third_Candaba_Viaduct2.jpg|Third Candaba Viaduct in February 2024 File:Third_Candaba_Viaduct4.jpg|Bored piles, columns, crossheads and girders </gallery>

== In popular culture == This bridge is referenced in a joke, "Mula sa kabila, itlog. Pagtawid naging 'ibon' na sa haba ng tulay" ({{translation|"From the other end, was still an egg. When they reached the other end, it became a 'bird' due to the bridge's length"}}). This is because the Kapampangan word for egg is "ebun".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ocampo |first=Ambeth R. |date=2013-10-22 |title=Boom tarat tarat! |url=https://opinion.inquirer.net/63885/boom-tarat-tarat |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Federico D. Pascual Jr |title=Crossing a river, their 'itlog' turns into 'ebun' |url=https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2009/05/14/467087/crossing-river-their-itlog-turns-ebun |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ocampo |first=Ambeth R. |date=2023-06-30 |title=History on the tongue |url=https://opinion.inquirer.net/164409/history-on-the-tongue |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline|Candaba Viaduct}} * [https://www.leightonasia.com/projects/current/candaba-3rd-viaduct Candaba 3rd Viaduct] Leighton Asia

Category:Bridges in the Philippines Category:Buildings and structures in Pampanga Category:Buildings and structures in Bulacan Category:Transportation in Pampanga Category:Transportation in Bulacan Category:Toll bridges