Toll roads ‘enhancement’ projects set

Manila North Tollways Corp., operator of North Luzon Expressway and Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway, has set aside P1.14 billion for “enhancement” projects at the tollroads, a statement showed.

MNTC, a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp, said a key item was the expansion of toll plazas at the NLEx Bocaue toll barrier, where MNTC was building eight more lanes, from the current 25 toll lanes to 33. The Bocaue toll plaza at the southbound portion is set to open next month.

“We are doing these projects to minimize queuing at the toll plazas especially during peak hours, aside from assuring our motorists to continue experiencing speedy toll transactions at the NLEx-SCTEx,” MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said in the statement.

Being built at a cost of P232 million, the new toll plaza will accommodate more than 50,000 southbound motorists daily, MNTC said.

The Balintawak Toll Barrier will also be expanded from 16 lanes to 23 lanes, at a budget of P176 million.

Meanwhile, three new lanes in a fishbone scheme will be built at the NLEx Mindanao Avenue amounting to P32 million.  The Mabiga Interchange will have two new toll plazas with two toll lanes each, amounting to P75 million. Two lanes will also be added to the Subic-Tipo toll barrier, costing P70 million.

The San Fernando Interchange is also up for a P287-million enhancement as part of the second phase of the NLEx road widening project.

The existing 2 by 2 lanes will be expanded to 2 by 4 lanes including the interchange bridge, while the east and west rotundas will be converted into signalized intersections to address traffic congestion in the area.

The Meycauayan Interchange will undergo a P154-million improvement.

Also part of the expansion projects are the improvement of the existing interchange ramp in NLEx Spur that connects NLEx and SCTEx, worth P40 million, and the utilization of Sta. Ines Interchange, P73 million.