MPCALA Holdings Inc., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., said Monday it started the construction of the Cavite side of the Cavite Laguna Expressway Project.
The company said preparations to start the construction of the second segment (Silang to Kawit) of CALAX began in January 2020. It is expected to be completed by 2022.
MPCALA Holdings Inc. tapped Leighton Holdings of Australia to build the Cavite side and local contractor DMCI Consunji Inc. to construct the Laguna segment.
The Cavite segment spans 35 kilometers of the 45-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway. It starts from Kawit, Cavite and traverses the Imus Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, Dasmariñas, Aguinaldo Highway and Silang which will connect to the Laguna segment from Sta. Rosa exiting to Mamplasan, Biñan Laguna towards South Luzon Expressway.
The Laguna side of Calax, the 10.7-kilometer stretch that starts from the Mamplasan entry and the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange, opened to the public on Feb. 9.
“The end-to-end opening of the first segment of CALAX is imperative to reduce traffic congestion in various parts of Laguna specifically Laguna Boulevard and Aguinaldo Highway,” said MPCALA president and general manager Roberto Bontia.
“Now that all lanes are accessible, it serves as a viable option for motorists given the growing traffic demands in the area,” Bontia said.
The 45-kilometer CALAX is a 2×2 lane expressway that will soon connect the CAVITEX in Kawit, Cavite to the Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.
CALAX will have interchanges at Cavitex Connection to Open Canal Road, Governor’s Drive, Silang, Silang East, Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay, Laguna Blvd., Technopark to Greenfield before SLEX.
It will also showcase technologically advanced features such as automatic license plate recognition system enabling barrier-less entry to CALAX and complements the RFID technology, IP-based speed detection cameras strategically installed and high-definition CCTV cameras to cover the entire stretch of the expressway to ensure safe and efficient travel by the motorists.
The Toll Regulatory Board approved CALAX toll rates for the first segment at P47 for Class 1 vehicles (cars), P95 for Class 2 vehicles (buses and small commercial trucks) and P143 for Class 3 vehicles (large trucks or trailers).
Aside from the CALAX and CAVITEX network of toll roads, MPTC’s projects include the concessions for the North Luzon Expressway, the NLEX Connector Road, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in Cebu.