MNTC earmarks P4B to expand NLEX portion

MANILA, Philippines - Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), a unit of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), has earmarked P4 billion over the next two to three years to expand the 90-kilometer North Luzon expressway (NLEX).

MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said the tollroad operator intends to expand strectches where there is traffic build up.

Franco said the company would spend between P2.5 billion and P4 billion to expand the portion in Sta. Rita to San Fernando as well as Dau and Sta. Ines.

“The cost depends on the scheme that the regulator will consider. It is anywhere from P2.5 billion to P4 billion plus,” Rodrigo said.

MNTC would expand Sta. Rita to San Fernando segment to three lanes each direction from its current two lanes each.

The Dau to Sta. Ines section that currently has two lanes with one lane each section would be expanded with additional lanes on each side.

“We could finish the project about one to two years, depending on the scheme,” the official said.

MNTC is scheduled to meet with officials of state-run Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) this month to finalize a joint venture for a planned P23-billion toll road that would connect the North Luzon and South Luzon expressways.

The supplemental toll operations agreement (STOA) covers the construction of segment 10 that starts where 2.4-kilometer Segment 9 ends on MacArthur Highway and stretches all the way to Circumferential (C3) Road.

MPIC’s connector road project would complete the north-south industrial development beltway transport axis through the construction of a 13.4-kilometer four-lane elevated expressway. It would decongest traffic in Metro Manila and provide better access to Manila’s ports.

Franco said the project would be completed in 2016 after starting early next year.

Earlier, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya announced that Malacañang gave Citra Central Expressway Corp. of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) the green light to start the construction of its own connector road worth P26.5 billion.

President Aquino has approved the contract for the Stage 3 project of the Metro Manila Skyway that would connect the NLEX and SLEX. The 14.2-kilometer road system would decongest EDSA and other major roads such as Quezon Ave., Araneta Ave., Nagtahan, and Quirino.