ROAD WIDENING. A portion of the multi-billion widening project of Bulacan Bypass Road. It is funded under a loan agreement between the Philippine government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). (Photo from DPWH)
MANILA – The widening of the arterial (Plaridel) bypass road linking North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway or Daang Maharlika in Bulacan province from two to four lanes is moving ahead swiftly, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Tuesday.
In his inspection report to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Undersecretary Emil Sadain said three contract packages are ongoing to construct two new westbound travel lanes from NLEX at station 34 + 900 in Barangay Burol, Balagtas town to station 57 + 366 in Barangay Maasim, San Rafael town.
Funded by a loan agreement between the Philippine government and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the PHP5.26-billion project involves concrete paving on new lanes, installation of box culverts and drainage structures, construction of eight bridges and three flyovers and slope protection and miscellaneous structures.
Sadain, overall in-charge of DPWH flagship projects, together with Project Director Benjamin Bautista and Project Managers Basilio Elumba and Hermie Sablan, conducted an inspection on Monday, particularly at the 7.70-kilometer contract package 4 in San Rafael town.
The contract package under Sino Road & Bridge Group Co. Ltd is 90 percent complete and also covers the construction of a 318-meter Flyover No. 4 at the intersection along Kalsadang Bago.
On the other hand, the 12.27 kilometer stretch from Barangay Tiaong, Guiguinto town to Barangay Bonga Menor, Bustos town under contract packages 1 and 2 awarded to C.M. Pancho Construction Inc. is at 42 percent complete.
“If things go according to plan, the road widening activities for the entire project alignment will be completed within the last quarter of 2023,” Sadain said in a statement.
The DPWH earlier completed the widening from two lanes to four lanes of a 2.22-kilometer section under contract package 3 including the westbound two-lane 1.12-km Angat Bridge, among the longest bridges in Luzon.
It also started working on the rehabilitation/replacement of damaged concrete on an intermittent section of paved road completed under phases 1 and 2 to accommodate the new load demand.
The road network has provided trickling economic benefits to the traversed five municipalities of Bulacan namely, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael with the area transformed into commercial and industrial centers creating jobs and connecting people to major employment areas and attracting more businesses to the eastern part of Bulacan and the adjacent province of Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon. (PNA)
