First bridge Originally announced in 2003 by the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as one of several bridges to be built by October that year, construction of the bridge would not be realized until several years later, when it was made part of the three-year Bridge Construction and Acceleration Project for Calamity Stricken Areas I (BCAPCSA I) program funded by
Austria to help the Philippines build nineteen weather-resistant bridges, building on a similar program executed by the Austrian and Philippine governments between 2001 and 2005. The bridge was a two-lane
box truss bridge. Austrian firm
Waagner-Biro provided the modular steel components for the bridge, while actual construction work was performed by the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The million bridge was inaugurated on February 12, 2011, by
Vice President Jejomar Binay along with the mayors of
Makati and
Mandaluyong (
Jejomar Binay Jr. and
Benjamin Abalos Jr., respectively),
Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, and Austrian ambassador to the Philippines Wilhelm Donko. The bridge is designed to withstand high-intensity
earthquakes. The project is handled by
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). Aside from the bridge itself, the construction project also includes improving access to the bridge by upgrading and widening Barangka Drive and Pantaleon Street on the Mandaluyong side. However, it was reopened on September 25 due to the anticipated heavy traffic during the
Christmas holiday season. Plans for expansion works were moved to January 2019. The bridge's closure started on January 19, 2019. It was met with controversies, citing capacity constraints on the Mandaluyong side landing in a two-lane street and the long project duration originally expected to last 30 months. The bridge expansion is part of the
Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program. On April 23, 2021, DPWH announced the final concrete pouring and completion of the second bridge's substructure and superstructure. The bridge was expected to open in June 2021 but was delayed repeatedly due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, among other developments. President
Rodrigo Duterte inaugurated the newly expanded billion bridge on July 29, 2021, and it was reopened to vehicular traffic on the same day. ==Traffic regulation==