"But it will be well worth it, comparable to the best in the world," said Jose de Jesus, president of the Manila North Tollway Corp.
Upgrading of the expressway, which has been causing massive traffic jams during peak days, is expected to be finished ahead of schedule.
Briefing Bulacan and Pampanga reporters, project manager Bruce Neave said the eight-kilometer section of the NLE in San Simon, Pampanga would be open to normal traffic by this September.
At present, the flow of northbound and southbound vehicles in the area is alternated to pave the way for the upgrading of the eastern lane, which is being raised by about three meters.
Neave said the upgrading project is now about 15 to 18 percent complete. He expressed confidence that the entire project would be finished two months earlier than expected, but this, he said, "would depend on the weather."
"By May next year, all the eight lanes from Balintawak, Quezon City to Burol in Balagtas, Bulacan, the six lanes from Burol to Sta. Ines in Guiguinto, Bulacan, and the rest of the 84-kilometer (stretch) up to Mabalacat, Pampanga would be open to traffic," De Jesus said.
The additional lanes would stretch to about 132 kilometers if linked together. Work, however, would continue on three new interchanges and the upgrading of existing ones, two new flyovers, several pedestrian overpasses, and additional toll gates in Balintawak and Bocaue.
The new interchanges would be constructed in Angeles City and Mexico in Pampanga, and Marilao in Bulacan.
De Jesus said traffic volume along the NLE increases by an average of three percent every year.
While the planned increased toll would be about P2.83 per kilometer, he said the final amount would depend on the peso-dollar exchange and inflation rates when the MNTC assumes operation of the upgraded NLE from the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) by the end of next year or by January 2005.
De Jesus, however, said the toll hike would be worth the convenience along the improved the 30-year-old NLE.
At P2.83 per kilometer, he said the toll would still be the lowest in the world, compared to P32.50 in Hong Kong, P17.24 in Japan, P7.35 in Singapore, P7.07 in South Korea, P4.80 in China, and P3.39 in Thailand.
The rate is also much lower than that in Spain (P5.60), Italy (P4.87), Australia (P4.81), and France (P4.47), he added.
Neave said some 2.5 million cubic meters of lahar material are being used for the entire project, and that a new asphalt recycling technology is being used to produce stronger asphalt to overlay the expressway.
"There will be rest areas for every kilometer stretch from Balintawak to Bural, and even two kilometers from thereon," De Jesus said.
He said the entry and exit points would have electronic and manual control systems, "variable message signs" to inform motorists of road and traffic conditions, and emergency call boxes.
When the entire project is finished, the MNTC would take over the management and operation of the NLE for 25 years.
"The contract covers 30 years, but it started in 2000 when the agreement with the government was signed," said De Jesus, adding that the project is not covered by any government guarantee.
The existing NLE project constitutes Phase 1 of the MNTC’s concession with the government.