The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported Monday, Dec. 26, that the widening of the Arterial Bypass Road in Bulacan that links the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Philippine-Japan friendship Road (Daang Maharlika) is going on swiftly and will likely be finished next year.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said that the expansion of Daang Maharlika from two lanes to four lanes aims to ease traffic congestion and provide a more convenient and safer travel on the 22.46 kilometer Arterial (Plaridel) Bypass Road.
“If things go according to plan, the road widening activities for the entire project alignment will be completed within the last quarter of 2023,” Sadain said.
Sadden said that the road network has provided economic benefits to the traversed five municipalities of the province namely Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos, and San Rafael. He noted that these areas were transformed into commercial and industrial centers that create job opportunities and connect the public to major employment areas while attracting more businesses to the eastern part of Bulacan and adjacent province of Nueva Ecija.
In his inspection report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, Sadain said that the three contract packages of the project to construct two new westbound travel lanes from NLEX at Station 34 + 900 in Barangay Burol, Balagtas to Station 57 + 366 in Barangay Maasim, San Rafael were on-going.
Funded by Loan Agreement No. PH-P266 between the Government of the Philippines (GOP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the P5.25-billion project under the Arterial Bypass Road Project Phase 3 implemented by DPWH Unified Project Management Office-Roads Management Cluster 1 (UPMO-RMC1) involves concrete paving on the new lanes, installation of box culverts and drainage structures, construction of eight bridges, three flyovers, slope protection, and miscellaneous structures.
Sadain, who is the overall in-charge of DPWH flagship projects, together with UPMO RMC 1 Project Director Benjamin Bautista and Project Managers Basilio Elumba and Hermie Sablan, conducted a recent inspection at the 7.70-kilometer contract package 4 in San Rafael town.
This contract package under Sino Road & Bridge Group Co. Ltd was already 90 percent complete, covering the construction of the 318-meter flyover No. 4 at the intersection along Kalsadang Bago.
Meanwhile, the 12.27 kilometer stretch from Barangay Tiaong, Guiguinto to Barangay Bonga Menor, Bustos under Contract Packages 1 and 2 was 42 percent complete.
Earlier, the DPWH had completed the widening of a 2.22 kilometer section under Contract Package 3 from two lanes to four lanes, including the westbound, two lane 1.12 kilometer Angat Bridge (Bridge No. 8) which is one of the longest bridges in Luzon.