LIBMANAN, Camarines Sur — Camarines Sur District Engineer Gilbert Olfindo said Sunday that the construction of a skyway bridge that will connect Libmanan, a very progressive town in the first district, this province, to Naga City via Canaman in the second district is expected to begin by October, this year.

The start of the construction is made possible with the initial release of P400 million for the project.

Olfindo said the new bridge with an estimated cost of P1.3 billion is part of the Bicol River Basin and Watershed Management Project (BRBWMP) and the Tubig-Kalsada-Oportunidad (TKO) development program of Rep. Dato Macapagal Arroyo.

The winning bidder will make its design then construct the bridge that will span over a vast rice land and two major Bicol River channels. The contractor, while constructing the bridge, will build in the area a 26-kilometer concrete road with asphalt overlay, Olfindo said.

The first bridge, he said, has a length of 300 linear meters. It will lay anchor on an islet in Barangay Iquin, Canaman, and in between the two bridges, the contractor will build another road with about 100 meters in length. This will lead to the second bridge which is about 100 linear meters and located on Canaman side.

The new skyway bridge, when it will become passable, will cut travel time for the distance from Manila to Naga and the neighboring towns in the south by about 40 to 45 minutes. Travel time from Libmanan to Naga will be 10 to 15 minutes by passenger-jeepney ride.

However, the travelers are looking forward that road mishaps in accident-prone areas of the Maharlika Highway starting from Libmanan junction to the municipalities of Pamplona, San Fernando, and Milaor will be reduced sharply with the new skyway bridge.

Olfindo said that the pre-bid conference on the project was held recently and the opening of the bids is set on Aug. 23, 2009.

In letter sent to Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. of the Department of Public Works and Highways was instructed by President Arroyo to finish the skyway bridge project in 2010.