MALOLOS CITY—The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) assured the public that the P10.5-billion elevated Harbor Link road project will be safe from earthquakes and vehicular accidents.
This came in the wake of a number of accidents on elevated expressways in Metro Manila, and reports that fault lines around the metropolis are ripe for another movement. Ramoncito Fernandez, president-CEO of the MPTC,
said they would ensure that “the design of the Harbor Link will stand seismic standards for elevated toll road.”
Fernandez said that as an elevated toll road, Harbor link will rise up to 10 storeys high specially when its right of way will cross the Light Rail Transit (LRT). For the most part, he said that Harbor Link will be six storeys high above the Philippine National Railways (PNR) right of way.
Fernandez said that the P10.5-B elevated expressway is comparable to elevated toll roads abroad. He said that construction of Harbor link will commence this month and it will have minimal effects on traffic flow on city streets.
However, he said that MPTC will closely coordinate with PNR for the construction in order not to hamper operation of the rail system. With regards to design of railings for the Harbor Link, Fernandez said they will consider the state of accidents on elevated expressways, driving habits of Filipinos and unsafe conditions of vehicles that will use the Harbor Link.
His comments came after a series of accidents occurred at the Manila skyway leading to the South Luzon Expressway. The 5.6 kilometer Harbor link will stretch from MacArthur Highway in Barangay Karuhatan in Valenzuela City to C-3 Road in Caloocan City.
Another project is the Segment 10.2 which will start at C-3 Road where Harbor Link will end, and will extend up to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) campus in Sta. Mesa Manila.
