Billionaire Ramon S. Ang and the Zobel family are collaborating to build an interchange that will connect the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) to local roads in Laguna and Batangas provinces, thus easing road congestion and boosting access to the southern areas of the country’s largest island group.
The Ayala Greenfield Interchange will be built by San Miguel Corp. and Ayala Greenfield Development Corp. (AGDC) and is expected to improve access to both SLEx and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Tollway, the Ayala firm said in a statement on Monday.
SMC, which is responsible for developing major infrastructure in the country such as SLEx, and AGDC, the developer of Ayala Greenfield Estates, broke ground for the project on Monday, October 14.
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According to AGDC, construction of the interchange will begin in November.
The interchange will be located on SLEx’s Toll Road 3 section, a 7.6-kilometer expressway linking Calamba in Laguna to Sto. Tomas in Batangas.
“This is part of SMC Infrastructure’s larger initiative to improve and expand our southern tollways network, particularly [SLEx],” SMC chair and CEO Ang said, adding that the project would ease congestion on major roads.
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SMC is working to expand the major expressway into a 6×6-lane expressway. Among its major projects is SLEx Toll Road 4, which will extend 67 kilometers to Lucena in Quezon province.
AGDC added that the new project would “significantly reduce” travel times and improve access to major urban centers, including Metro Manila, Alabang, and Nuvali.
“By addressing the growing number of vehicles and visitors that flock to the Resort Capital of the Philippines, we are not only easing traffic congestion but also paving the way for economic growth and enhanced connectivity,” Calamba Mayor Ross Rizal said.