SAN Miguel Corp. (SMC) has struck a deal with a French engineering and infrastructure company for the construction of a segment of the P15.52-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Expressway.
The partnership between Vertex Tollways Development Inc. and French firm Matière SAS and its local counterpart Armando U. Khong Hun General Contractors Inc. will pave way for the construction of the Parañaque Riverside section of the thoroughfare, the company said in a statement.
The deal comes on the heels of an issuance of a variation notice—a form of communication—by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to transfer the alignment of the expressway traversing Domestic Road to the riverside of Parañaque City. The issuance, according to the government agency, aims to address issues on safety, traffic flow and right-of-way along the Domestic Road.
SMC President and COO Ramon S. Ang said late Tuesday he is “pleased” to have reached an agreement with Matière SAS and Armando U. Khong Hun General Contractors Inc.
“We are confident that this partnership will help us meet our target this year, which is the substantial completion of the expressway in time for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation [Apec] Summit.”
The Philippines is hosting this conference last November.
The Parañaque Riverside section will be built using a Uni-Bridge Modular Solution system, a steel modular bridge system predesigned and prefabricated in France, documents provided by Ang’s office said. The use of this system guarantees a substantial completion of the new section within ten months, the documents added.
The project involves the construction of a four-lane, 7.15-kilometer elevated expressway that aims to provide easy access to and from the three Naia terminals and link the Skyway System and the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex), read the documents provided by Ang’s office.
Initially planned to pass through the Domestic Road, the expressway will now start from Sales Avenue, cross Andrews Avenue, Parañaque Riverside, and Naia Road and end at Macapagal Boulevard or the Pagcor Entertainment City, according to documents.
About 80,000 travelers per day will benefit from reduced travel time once the elevated road opens as scheduled by October 2015, the documents read.