NLEX Corp. said on Monday it is on track on the construction of an expressway linking the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway in the first half of 2019.
The start of construction for the first section of the NLEX Connector project, stretching from C3 Road in Caloocan City to España Blvd. in Manila, is scheduled on May 2019, based on the contractual agreement NLEX signed with the Department of Public Works and Highways,
NLEX, however, said the company and DPWH agreed to push for an aggressive timeline to move the construction schedule to January 2019 instead.
The new schedule will ensure the early completion of the NLEX Connector, which is seen as a crucial infrastructure needed to solve traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
The aggressive timeline was in consideration with the joint right-of-way or ROW program of NLEX and DPWH.
The company also reported that acquisition of the ROW was also on track, with the DPWH committing to provide the ROW requirements to jumpstart the construction of the NLEX Connector project ahead of its original contractual schedule.
NLEX and DPWH are working closely for the timely completion of the project by December 2020 ahead of the original schedule of May 2021.
The company said Public Works Secretary Mark Villar even created in 2017 a task force for faster and efficient ROW acquisition and delivery.
The P23.3-billion NLEX Connector Road project is an 8-kilometer, all elevated four-lane expressway which would extend the NLEX southward from the end of the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 in C3 Road in Caloocan City to PUP in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The project is expected to provide seamless expressway connection between key growth areas like Metro Manila and North and Central Luzon and the Clark-Subic corridor.
Around 35,000 motorists, especially cargo trucks, who are expected to benefit from the project, will have an option to skip congested public roads since the road will traverse mostly along the Philippine National Railways’ alignment.
The NLEX Connector is one of the first Public-Private Partnership projects awarded by the Duterte administration in 2016.
