By Boy Guingguing
Publisher
Bohol Sunday Post
For the second time around, this Bglante devotes another full-length column about the much ballyhooed Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge.
In so many instances, Gov. Erico Aumentado like the master salesman that he is, is again full of energy and enthusiasm in pushing for his latest mega-baby, a bridge that connects between Bohol and Cebu.
To the uninitiated, they may say that's another of Aumentado long line of pipe dreams for Bohol. Another product of his fertile imagination.
We beg to disagree. Given Aumentado's vaunted tenacity to push big-ticket items, the latest in his arsenal of mega projects is a doable one. In the name of today's technology where extreme engineering is pushed to the limits yes, it can be done.
A project as colossal as this may be unimaginable to ordinary folks. But those in the know are mesmerized at the prospect that it's possible to bridge the two islands. Separated by a body of water where the shortest points to the two islands is only about 18 kilometers, this mega project pales in comparison to other projects already in existence.
Take the Hangzhou Bay Bridge in Shanghai, China.
Built as an S-shaped stayed-cable bridge, the bridge links both sides of Hangzhou Bay. Considered the longest transoceanic bridge built in China, the span in the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. The bridge is 36 kilometers long, it has six lanes in both directions and shortens the distance between Shanghai and Ningbo by 120 kms.
Although the bridge is already linked and the opening ceremony was already held on June 2007, it will not be open to public transport until 2008. It's opening is timed for the 2008 World Fair to be held in Shanghai, China.
Another example of two places separated by a wide body of water and then linked with a mega bridge is the one that connects Sweden and Denmark. Known as the Oresund Bridge(Danish Oresundsbroen, Swedish Orensundsbron, joint hybrid name Oresonbron) is a combined two-track rail and four-lane road bridge across the Oresund Strait. The bridge-tunnel is the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe and connects the two metropolitan areas of the Oresund Region: the Danish capital of Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo.
Planned as early as 1991, the 16 kilometer long Oresund link between Sweden and Denmark is now complete.. The Oresund Bridge is the world's longest single bridge carrying both road and railway traffic.
.As to the blueprint of the Cebu-Bohol Friendship, the span that stretches 18 kilometers from Getafe to Cordova in Cebu is programmed to serve at least functions. The main function is the bridge itself while overboard is the electric cable connection using Cebu's excess energy it gets from the Visayas Grid of its geothermal power from Palimpinon in Negros Oriental.
Another feature of the bridge is the water pipeline should Bohol decide to sell its excess water from the Inabanga River. Calling it three-in-one project, it is now scouting for funding support to realize Aumentado's dream undertaking. Once realized, there's no quarrel that Aumentado will become the greatest public official Bohol ever produced.
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