The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is now prioritizing the construction of two lanes at the 24-kilometer Arterial Road Bypass Project (ARBP) Phase 3 in Bulacan.

DPWH Sec. Roger G. Mercado said the project will give motorists and commuters better access to and from San Rafael and other eastern Bulacan towns from the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Balagtas exit.

The additional two lanes - from the previous two - is part of the final stage of the bypass road to lower vehicular traffic congestion levels, facilitate more reliable travel conditions, reduced travel time and improved freight and delivery schedules. It will also reduce emissions and fuel consumption, and increase productivity and economic development.

The construction site was already inspected by DPWH personnel led by DPWH Undersecretary and Build Build Build Chief Implementer Emil K. Sadain on Dec. 28.

Sadain said a new concrete pavement thickness standard of 35 centimeters from previous 30 centimeters was adopted in the on-going construction of two additional road lanes.

“Taking into consideration the load-bearing capacity requirement and need for road resilience to container cargo trucks and haulers of aggregates utilizing the Arterial Bypass or commonly called as Plaridel Bypass Road, the adjusted pavement thickness coupled with proper construction methodology will extend the service life of this highway,” said Sadain.

Also inspected during the visit was the construction of a 318-meter flyover, which is part of the capacity expansion project under contract package 4. Also present during the inspection were Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista of UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 and Project Director Ramon A. Arriola III of UPMO Flood Control Management Cluster.

Contract package 4 under contract with Sino Road & Bridge Group Co. Ltd. also covers construction of additional two lanes of portland concrete cement pavement (PCCP) for 7.38 km stretch, one 36.86 meters single span prestressed concrete deck girder bridge, seven at-grade intersections, widening of drainage, slope protection and miscellaneous works.

The contract package is 55.72 percent completed and targeted to be completed by February 2023.

Also on-going are civil works for contract packages 1 and 2 under CM Pancho Construction, Inc. involving construction of 11.82 km of PCCP, seven (7) moderate/short bridges with a net length of 260.62 meters, two (2) overpass/flyovers; extension of 10 reinforced concrete box underpass for farm equipment and animal crossing, 13 box culvert , 96 pipe culvert; 16 at-grade intersections, drainage, slope protection and miscellaneous works.

Meanwhile, Contract Package 3 covering a length of 2.22 kilometers was already completed in March 2021 which involved the construction of additional two lanes for Bridge No. 8 (Angat Bridge) with a length of 1,120.7 meters with seven spans pre-stressed concrete continuous box girder erected by a balance cantilever method, 40.86 meters Bridge No. 9, 1.063 km. PCCP works, widening of underpass (approach of Bridge 8 and along Provincial Road), widening of drainage, slope protection and miscellaneous works.

Funded by Loan Agreement No. PH-P266 between the Government of the Philippines (GOP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Arterial Bypass Road Project Phase 3 has enough space for network expansion with available road right of way for additional two (2) lanes consistent with the original long-range plan for the arterial road.

The arterial road alignment traversed five (5) municipalities of Bulacan namely, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael bypassing the perennial traffic congestion at the core urban areas along Philippines - Japan Friendship Highway also called Maharlika Highway road section of Plaridel, Pulilan and Baliuag to San Rafael.