GROUNDBREAKING. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Candaba 3rd Viaduct along the North Luzon Expressway on Wednesday (June 21, 2023). Among those who attended the ceremony were House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Pampanga 1st Dist. Rep. Aurelio Gonzales (third from left), Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation President and CEO Rogelio Singson, Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda, Pampanga 1st Dist. Rep. Carmelo Lazatin II, NLEX Corporation President and General Manager Jose Luigi Bautista and other officials. (Photo by Marna Del Rosario)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga –The construction of the five-kilometer Candaba 3rd Viaduct between this province and neighboring Bulacan which can further improve the safety and mobility of motorists is now going full blast.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, together with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation President Rogelio L. Singson and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation President J. Luigi L. Bautista led on Wednesday the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the PHP7.89-billion project.
Other officials present during the event were Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Toll Regulatory Board executive director Alvin Carullo, Department of Public Works and Highways Region 3 Director Roseller Tolentino, Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda and Bulacan Vice Governor Alex Castro.
Targeted for completion by November 2024, the NLEX Corporation’s project entails the construction of a new bridge in the middle of the two existing viaducts.
Bautista said that once completed, the road network will increase the capacity of the entire Candaba Viaduct from three lanes without shoulders to three lanes with inner and outer shoulders in each direction.
“The lanes and shoulders will be widened hence, boosting the safety and convenience of those traversing the viaduct,” he said during the event.
Singson, for his part, said “the project will not only increase the capacity of the Candaba Viaduct but will ultimately improve the safety and convenience of motorists, as well as aid in the acceleration and growth of trade and commerce in Central Luzon.”
Romualdez also cited the importance of the project which is expected to alleviate the traffic congestion and reduce travel time for the commuters.
“This project will not only enhance the efficiency of our transportation network but also contribute to the overall socioeconomic development of the region. It will create jobs, attract investments, and stimulate economic growth,” he said.
The Candaba 3rd Viaduct will be built using green and sustainable engineering practices and will be compliant with the country’s latest bridge design requirements.
It will have piers at every 20 meters, with each pier being supported by two columns and two bored piles which will strengthen the structure amidst the swampy condition of the natural ground underneath the viaduct.
“This new mobility project will offer easy journeys and make travel safer for the public traveling between Metro Manila and Central and North Luzon as there will be a new structure to augment the existing ones and will safely allow the speed limit to increase to 60 to 80 kilometers per hour from the current 40 to 60 kilometers per hour,” Bautista said.
Upon completion, he said the Class 3 vehicles or large trucks will be directed to the new bridge “so that the old structures will be relieved of heavy loads.”
Bautista said that based on previous studies, the construction of the third viaduct is necessary as the current structures are aging and operating at a reduced capacity.
Meanwhile, he assured the motoring public that their travel comfort will not be sacrificed as the majority of the works will not affect the current operations and traffic flow in the two existing viaducts.
The construction site will be manned by competent engineers and management teams to ensure efficiency and safety, he added.
The Candaba Viaduct has been a vital link for motorists traveling between Metro Manila and the provinces in Central and North Luzon for over 50 years now. It has withstood natural disasters such as severe typhoons and extreme earthquakes.
Since 2005, the tollway company has been upgrading the viaduct.
Some of the works completed were pavement resurfacing; bridge link slab, girder, and deck replacement; girder and column strengthening; and construction of lay-bys or emergency stops in both northbound and southbound directions of the bridge.
In 2020, the company has also started implementing stringent anti-overloading efforts such as enforcing the 33-ton gross vehicle weight limit on the southbound viaduct to further ensure the safety and long-term serviceability of the bridge.
The NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC). (PNA)
