Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. unit NLEX Corp. is set to increase its capital expenditure (capex) by 50 percent in 2024 compared to this year’s budget to finance major expansion projects.
The company, which operates North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the NLEX Connector road, has earmarked P10 billion for this year and is eyeing to set P15 billion for next year.
“Next year, it is about P15 billion for existing and planned expansion,” Luigi Bautista, NLEX Corp. president and general manager, said recently.
The capex for next year is allocated for the construction of the third Candaba viaduct, NLEX Segment 3, road widening in San Fernando, Pampanga, and the NLEX Connector’s portion that will connect to the Skyway Stage 3.
Last June, the company has started building the P7.89-billion Candaba third viaduct that will replace the existing two old bridges by November 2024.
The 5-kilometer Candaba viaduct entails the construction of a new bridge in the middle of the two existing viaducts. Once completed, this will increase the road capacity of the entire Candaba viaduct from three lanes without shoulders to three lanes with inner and outer shoulders in each direction.
“We are building the 3rd Candaba viaduct. Today, it is about 30 percent complete. The target is still on track,” Bautista said.
Meanwhile, NLEX Corp. is also constructing the portion of NLEX Connector that will connect to San Miguel Corp.’s Skyway.
“We call it the interconnection structure. It is about 1.2 kilometers. San Miguel is still building it. We’re basically pacing the project such that when Skyway Stage 3 interconnection is about to be finished, we should make sure that we’ll also finish about the same time,” Bautista said.
Last October, the 1.8-km four-lane (2×2) NLEX Connector from España to Magsaysay section was opened.
Providing a 24/7 alternative route to motorists in all vehicle classes, the new segment will help ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila, especially in major thoroughfares such as EDSA and Circumferential Road 5 (C5).
Apart from cutting the travel time from C3 in Caloocan to Magsaysay Boulevard in Manila to just 8 minutes, it is seen to ease the traffic conditions in Nagtahan, G. Araneta, Aurora Blvd, Lacson, Magsaysay and España Boulevard.
It will also help improve the accessibility of motorists traveling from Manila, San Juan and other nearby cities as they can enter the NLEX Connector Magsaysay Interchange on-ramp and head straight to the north via NLEX.
In total, the NLEX Connector currently has three interchanges located on C3 Road/5th Avenue in Caloocan, España and Magsaysay Blvd. in Manila.
The entire NLEX Connector road project is anticipated to be operational before the year ends, with the completion of the remaining segment from España Boulevard to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The NLEX-SLEX Connector road spans a total of 7.70 km from the end of NLEX Segment 10 at C3 in Caloocan to the end of Manila Skyway Stage 3 at PUP Sta. Mesa.
