Gov’t seeks bids for NLEx-SLEx connector road

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is moving forward with the long-delayed Swiss competitive challenge for an 8-kilometer connector tollroad linking the northern and southern portions of Metro Manila before the end of this month.

Ariel Angeles, DPWH head of PPP Service, said in an interview last week the first publication of the Swiss challenge was set for March 30, 2016.

This type of bidding exercise would give rival groups a chance to challenge proponent Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) for the right to build the P18-billion elevated tollroad, which partly utilizes the right of way of the Philippine National Railways.

Angeles said the bid documents would be issued to interested groups by April 12.

“We are looking to award the project by September,” Angeles said. He noted the process could be concluded sooner if there were no challengers to Metro Pacific, which submitted the connector road project as an unsolicited proposal during the previous administration.

The company, led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, has faced delays since that time, mainly due to disagreements within government agencies over which implementation structure to pursue.

The tollroad, once complete, is expected to be a boon to motorists in Metro Manila and nearby areas suffering from heavy traffic congestion.

The DPWH said the connector road would cut travel time from the North Luzon Expressway to South Luzon Expressway by about 15 to 20 minutes. At present, reaching either expressways through Metro Manila’s congested roads could take over two hours.

The DPWH said travel time between Clark in Pampanga and Calamba, Laguna would be slashed to one hour and 40 minutes from an average of three hours.

About 35,000 vehicles per day were expected to use the connector tollroad, which begins at the C3 Road in Caloocan City and ends in PUP Sta. Mesa. It would have an opening toll fee of P87.

Rodrigo Franco, who heads MPIC’s tollroad subsidiary Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., said the firm was confident the Swiss challenge could be wrapped up within the third quarter of 2016.

Should the firm win the project, Franco said construction would begin in 2017 and completed by the end of 2020. Metro Pacific Tollways also operates the North Luzon Expressway, Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway and Manila Cavite Expressway.