THE two thoroughfares that connect Metro Manila to the northern provinces are up for a multibillion-peso makeover—pegged at P3.9 billion—this year, the president of the company said on Thursday.
Manila North Tollways Corp. President Rodrigo E. Franco said his company is spending P3.9 billion to further ensure safe and fast travel, and maintain the level of service for the convenience of motorists traveling along the integrated North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).
“Prior to the integration of Nlex and SCTEx last month, we have lined up a lot of enhancement works for both roads, putting priority on the convenience and safety of our motorists,” he said. The work being done simultaneously includes pavement maintenance, road widening and toll-plaza expansion.
The P2.6-billion road-widening project covering Segments 2 and 3 of the Nlex started in March to accommodate the growing number of vehicles plying the tollway.
The road-widening project will expand the existing two-lane portion of the Nlex between Santa Rita and San Fernando, Pampanga, to three lanes on both the northbound and southbound sides, while the current one-lane stretch between Dau and Santa Ines will be expanded to two lanes on both sides.
The tollways arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is also Investing P1 billion for the pavement improvement of the entire 94-kilometer stretch of the SCTEx from 2016 to 2018.
The 2016 pavement upgrade, amounting to P350 million, includes asphalt overlay and road patching of Porac, Pampanga, to Concepcion, Tarlac, while the 2017 upgrade involves the repair from Porac to Floridablanca and from Concepcion to San Miguel.
In 2018 pavement work will be from Floridablanca to Tipo and from San Miguel to La Paz.
Franco said the pavement upgrade on the SCTEx is part of the company’s efforts to extend to the SCTEx the “Nlex brand of service,” as the project aims to make the SCTEx pavement as smooth as that of the Nlex.
While the 2016 pavement upgrade for the SCTEx just recently started, the 2016 heavy-maintenance program for the Nlex is now halfway through completion. The P113-million project focuses on road patching of some northbound and southbound portions of the Nlex from Valenzuela to Santa Ines.
Also in progress is the expansion of the Nlex Bocaue toll barrier from 25 toll lanes to 33 toll lanes to enhance mobility of motorists using the Bocaue southbound toll plaza. The additional eight mixed lanes are being built at a cost of P206 million.
The project, set to be completed this year, involves the construction of an eight-lane skewed toll plaza at the southbound portion of Nlex Bocaue. Four pass-through lanes at the left side of the existing Bocaue toll barrier will be made to lead motorists to the new toll plaza.
“With all these enhancements in place, we are hoping to provide a more comfortable travel, as well as raise the level of satisfaction of motorists plying our expressways,” Franco said.