SUBIC FREEPORT ZONE, Zambales – The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation started the job works for its P1.56 billion Subic Freeport Expressway (SFPEX) capacity expansion project to help accommodate the rapidly increasing volume of traffic leading to one of the industry hubs in Central Luzon.
SFPEX deputy project manager Wilson Bontigao said that the 16-month project duration started last My 15, 219 and will be completed on or before September 15, 2-2- which will convert the 2-lane highway to a 4-lane road link to the Freeport zone.
He added that among the major components of the project include the construction of an 108-meter tunnel which will be 15 meters wide and 8 meters in height complete with state-of-the-art lighting facilities, a 180 and 23-meter long bridges and provisions for the safety of the motorists who will be plying the 8.2-kilometer expressway.
The SFPEX will tremendously reduce the travel time for motorists wanting to transact business in the Freeport or even visit the tourist destinations in the area and wanting to immediately go back to their point of origin.
From the one lane flow of vehicles from each direction, the same will become two lanes coming from opposite direction to increase its carrying capacity especially that all roads now led to the Freeport zone because of the rapidly increasing number of foreign and local investors doing business in the said Central Luzon investment hub.
Bontigao disclosed that some 10,000 trees along the mountain slope where the expansion project is being undertaken will be cut but the same is covered by the appropriate clearances from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) prior to the start of the implementation of the programmed works along the proposed expressway.
He asserted that the project proponent remains firm with its commitment for the preservation and protection of the environment because it will be planting over 1 million trees in strategic areas and nurture them as part of the conditions of the tree cutting permit that was issued to the concessionaire.
The deputy project manager appealed to concerned motorists plying the initial 2-lane highway for utmost understanding and patience on the inconveniences that will be caused by their ongoing works as the contractor is doing its best to work on the provided timetable for the project’s completion so that they will be able to experience least problems when visiting the Freeport zone.
Aside from the North Luzon Expressway, NEX Corporation is also the concessionaire of the Subic-Clark-Tarac Expressway (SCTEX) which have significantly reduced the travel time from Metro Manila and Northern Luzon to the fast developing cark and Subic Freeport zones.
Bontigao asserted that once completed, the new 4-lane highway will be fully lighted, including that of the tunnel, to provide the needed safety measures for the travelling public side from the provision of the safety measures that will be provided in strategic portions of the highway considering that safety of the motorists is one of their priority concerns in building such state-of-the-art road links beneficial to the greater majority of people using the same.
By HENT
