The P21-billion Samal Island–Davao City Connector (SIDC) Bridge—hailed as a flagship infrastructure project—has reached 40 percent completion and remains on schedule for full operation by 2028, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In a statement issued Sunday, July 20, the DPWH reaffirmed that the SIDC Bridge forms part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas initiative to deliver inclusive, climate-resilient infrastructure that fosters regional connectivity and drives economic growth.
During a recent site inspection, DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain underscored the agency’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality, safety, and environmental stewardship throughout construction.
Spanning 4.76 kilometers, the toll-free, four-lane extradosed bridge will link northeastern Davao City to northwestern Samal Island. It connects the R. Castillo–Daang Maharlika Junction in Davao City to the Samal Circumferential Road, with landings at Barangay Vicente Hizon Sr. in Davao City and Barangay Limao on Samal Island.
Once operational, the SIDC Bridge is expected to serve up to 25,000 vehicles daily, dramatically improving mobility between Davao and Samal. Travel across the Davao Gulf will be reduced from 55 minutes by ferry to just 4.5 minutes, easing reliance on marine transport for residents, commuters, and tourists.
The bridge structure includes marine and land viaducts, approach roads, ramps, and a main span engineered to support both land and maritime transit. The central extradosed span measures 275 meters and offers a vertical navigation clearance of 47 meters, ensuring safe passage for vessels. Two pylons rising 73 meters above mean sea level mark the maximum height permitted by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), given the bridge’s proximity to Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
Other components include:
• Davao City side: 477.5-meter western marine viaduct, 570-meter land viaduct, 1,320.33-meter interchange ramp, and 806.91-meter approach road
• Samal Island side: 637.5-meter eastern marine viaduct, 395-meter land viaduct, and 280-meter approach road
Sadain emphasized that environmental safeguards are central to the construction process, particularly to protect the fragile marine ecosystem of the Pakiputan Strait. A thorough environmental assessment informed the project’s alignment and design, enabling the mitigation of ecological disruption and preservation of water flow.
