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P1.6-billion Subic Freeport Expressway Capacity Expansion Project now 92% done and for completion by 1Q
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Upgrade of southbound segment of 5-km Candaba Viaduct to be undertaken this year to further strengthen the bridge
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NLEX Connector Project at 16% completion and expected to be finished by 4Q
Three major road construction projects—North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Connector, Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX) Capacity Expansion, and Candaba Viaduct Upgrade—are set for completion this year, according to tollway company NLEX Corp.
These infrastructure works will further improve traffic flow and connectivity in Central and Northern Luzon, and promote road safety for the hundreds of thousands of motorists using these critical arteries, NLEX Corp. president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said in a statement.
The P1.6-billion SFEX capacity expansion is now 92% done and slated for completion by the first quarter of 2021.
Once finished, the new and expanded SFEX will complement Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s infrastructure program and accommodate growing traffic while promoting road safety. It will also facilitate passage for truckers and merchants delivering goods in and out of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, NLEX Corp. said
Works on the 8.2-kilometer (km) expressway include adding two expressway lanes and constructing two bridges and a new tunnel to increase road capacity from one lane in each direction to two lanes in each direction.
Expressway-standard LED lighting will be installed for safer night driving while the Maritan Highway-Rizal Highway-Tipo Road junction will be elevated for better flood management.
The new SFEX road, which is constructed beside the existing SFEX carriageway, has recently been temporarily opened to the public and will be available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until January 15. To avoid inconveniencing the public, NLEX Corp. will resume roadwork outside of those times, or from 6:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.
READ: Subic Freeport Expressway open until Jan 15
NLEX Corp. also continues its series of upgrades on the 5-km Candaba Viaduct to ensure long-term serviceability and the safety and comfort of motorists.
Aside from the usual wear and tear over the years, engineering studies show that the viaduct has sustained damage to several link slabs, or the concrete components that connect two bridge deck spans, due to the passage of overloaded trucks.
Built in the 1970s, the Candaba Viaduct serves as a link between Metro Manila and the central and north Luzon road corridor. Upgrading and rehabilitation works will keep the bridge safe, and the transport of people and goods timely and unhampered.
NLEX Corp. reported it finished replacing 13 link slabs on the southbound portion of the Candaba Viaduct at the close of 2020. This year around 12 link slabs more on the same segment are up for replacement to further strengthen the bridge.
The tollway company is optimistic that Section 1 of the NLEX Connector Project will be completed by the last quarter of 2021. The section will connect NLEX to Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 near the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila,
NLEX Corp. said the connector project is on track, and is currently at 16% completion. Work on the 8-km elevated expressway from the new Caloocan Interchange, traversing Blumentritt and España, involves three junctions at C3 Road in Caloocan; España, Manila; and PUP.
Once completed, this major infrastructure will reduce travel time from NLEX to South Luzon Expressway from two hours to just 20 minutes, cut drive time from Clark in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna from three hours to one hour and 40 minutes, and improve connectivity between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport to benefit at least 35,000 vehicles per day.
“These three major road projects are essential to the country’s economic growth, as these add to the commercial development and economic viability of several cities located in those areas. This is in line with our country’s ambition, and NLEX’s vision, toward nation-building,” Bautista said.
