Tollways Corp. (MNTC) to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Bocaue toll plaza to help minimize long queues of vehicles during weekends and holidays.
According to MNTC president Rodrigo E. Franco, eight tollgates will be added costing some P206 million. He said once the additional tollgates are finished, a total of 33 tollgates will serve motorists at the said toll plaza.
Franco also said, in conjunction with this, the MNTC has started widening the road at the toll plaza to accommodate the huge volume of vehicles. He said the curb has been fully extended leading to the toll plaza with the northbound lane separated by a concrete barrier.
The MNTC, builder and concessionaire of NLEx, has begun a P2.6 billion road-widening project last February, which include the additional Bocaue tollgates, to accommodate the growing number of vehicles plying the 93-kilometer tollway that connects Metro Manila to Central and Northern Luzon.
Based on MNTC data, vehicle entries in NLEx rose to more than 218,000 last year from almost 200,000 in 2014. The road-widening project will expand the existing two-lane portion of NLEx between Sta. Rita and San Fernando to three lanes on both the northbound and southbound lanes, while the current onelane stretch between Dau and Sta. Ines will be expanded to two lanes on both lanes.
The MNTC president also assured motorists that, despite the road expansion works, traffic on the expressway will remain smooth since no lane closures will be implemented.
According to MNTC, it earlier sealed a 10- year fixed rate term loan facility agreement worth P5 billion with Union Bank of the Philippines to support expansion projects and debt financing. Franco said a portion of the loan would be used to finance the NLEx expansion.
