Monday, April 8, 2013

North-South Skyway link to begin construction this month By Franco G. Regala Published: April8, 2013, Manila Bulletin

North-South Skyway link to begin construction this month
By Franco G. Regala
Published: April 8, 2013
At least P25.55 billion worth of skyway projects that will link the north and south expressways start construction this month, the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) disclosed Monday.
In an interview, Rodrigo Franco, MNTC president said the construction of the two Luzon major road projects is part of the five infrastructure projects worth P146-billion approved by Pres. Aquino in Nov. last year.
“These crucial infrastructure projects are meant to boost economic activities from North and South Metro Manila, and to ease traffic,’’ said Franco.
Citing the original feasibility study that he submitted, Franco said the NLEx to SLEx Skyway Connector will be built on top of the Rail-Right-of Way of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) going to SLEX near Buendia where the Skyway Stage 1 will be constructed. The length of the NLEX-SLEX Skyway connector will be 13.24 kilometers.
He said the connector from NLEx Mindanao Avenue Interchange or Segment 8.1 going to Segment 8.2 will be called NLEX-North Harbor Link. Construction is currently ongoing.
“The first three kilometer with pass through Mac Arthur highway thru Letre Road, then to C3 road going to Espanya Boulevard. From there, iibabaw na sa railways track ng PNR ang NLEX-SLEX Skyway Connector kung saan mula Espana Boulevard, babagtasin na nito ang A.Lacson Avenue, Paco-Sta.Mesa road, Quirino Avenue hanggang umabot sa Osmena Highway na pagkakabitan nito sa Skyway Stage 1 sa Buendia na nasa lungsod ng Makati,’’ explained Franco.
According to him, there will be four entries and exit ramps constructed. One each will be made at C-3 road in Caloocan, Espana and Quirino in Manila and another in Gil Puyat in Makati. The ramps are estimated to price at P17-billion. It will be handled by infrastructure conglomerate, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) through tollway arm Metro Pacific Tollways Corp (MPTC).
Citra Metro Manila Tollways Inc, the tollway arm of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), on the other hand is pursuing Skyway phase 3 to connect it with NLEX. It is expected to put up a 14-kilometer, six-lane toll way exiting in Quirino and Plaza Dilao in Manila; and in Aurora Blvd, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon Blvd, Sgt. Rivera and Balintawak in Quezon City.
Both roads would have a common alignment stretching five kilometers from Buendia Ave. in Makati City to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila, said Franco.
Under the revised Philippine BOT Law, private sectors are the ones authorized to finance, construct, operate and maintain the infrastructure projects of government.
The MPTC is expected to handle the operation of NLEX and other segments like the NLEX-SLEX skyway connector project that have 4 lines, 2 each in separate directions, until 2037.

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