The on-going expansion works of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at the 24.61 kilometer Arterial Road Bypass in the Province of Bulacan is being fast-tracked towards sustaining development momentum while ensuring safety of road users.
With an overall accomplishment of 47.8 percent, we are trying to moved forward as quickly as possible to accelerate delivery of the widening from 2 to 4 lanes the entire alignment of Plaridel Bypass Road for this highway to keep up with the increasing number of vehicles, said DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain.
According to Undersecretary Sadain, overall in-charge of 5 specialized clusters under Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations, the road expansion project will address traffic woes of motoring public triggered by steady growth in number of vehicles including heavy trucks using the bypass road as alternate route to Daang Maharlika Highway.
Funded by the Government of the Philippines (GOP) and Government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Loan Agreement No. PH-P266 financing, the Arterial Bypass Road Project Phase 3 as the final stage has enough road right of way space for additional two (2) lanes since this was considered during the original planning and design phases, added Undersecretary Sadain.
The arterial road alignment traversed 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.
Widening of the first 2.22-kilometer section of Arterial Plaridel Bypass Road including one of Luzon’s longest bridge across Angat River in Bustos, Bulacan under Contract Package 3 was earlier completed in the first quarter of 2021.
Presently on-going at 43 percent is Contract Package 4 from Sta. 49+625 in Bustos to Sta. 57+365.73 in San Rafael awarded to Sino Road & Bridge Group Co., Ltd.
This section, targeted for completion by January 2023, involves construction of 7.38 kilometer additional 2 lanes of portland concrete cement pavement (PCCP) road, a 36.86 meter single span pre-stressed concrete deck girder bridge, 7 at-grade intersections, a 318.55 meter flyover at intersection, widening of drainage, slope protection and miscellaneous works.
Meanwhile, construction of additional 2 lanes for Contract Packages 1 and 2 from Sta. 34+900 in Burol, Balagtas to Sta. 47+400 in Bustos is also on-going under contract with CM Pancho Construction, Inc.
These contract packages which was rolled-out in the first quarter of 2021 covers the PCCP of additional 2 lanes for the 11.82 kilometer road with carriageway width of 7 meters, construction of 7 short bridges with a total length of 260.62 meters, 2 overpass/flyovers, extension of 10 reinforced concrete box underpass for farm equipment and animal crossing, 16 at-grade intersections, drainage, slope protection and other miscellaneous works.
Undersecretary Sadain together with Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, former Project Director Virgilio Castillo, Project Manager Basilio Elumba, and assisted by Project Engineers Hermie Sablan and Fernando Salaysay of UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral) checked the progress of works on Tuesday, October 12, 2021.
In as much as the existing two (2) lanes highway remain open even during road construction, Undersecretary Sadain reminded the contractor to ensure sufficient barricades are installed as he also appeal to the motorists to pay special attention and obey all signs and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they traverse through work zones.
DPWH UPMO has played an indispensable role in backing the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte administration’s unprecendented Build, Build, Build program.
Some of the UPMO-implemented flagship infrastructure projects completed and opened by President Duterte recently are the BGC Ortigas Center Road Link Project; Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge; and 18-kilometer Tarlac to Aliaga, Nueva Ecija Section of Central Luzon Link Expressway.