MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said one of the projects cover the widening of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) from Sta. Rita in Bulacan to this city.
The construction of this project is now in full swing, involving the construction of a third lane along the NLEx in Plaridel, Bulacan and San Simon, Pampanga, simultaneous with the construction of emergency bays along the Candaba viaduct so that the third road shoulder could be used as a full fledged motorist lane, he said.
All bridges in the NLEx along the stretch of the third-lane project would also be widened accordingly, he added.
At the same time, the MNTC is also rushing the construction of two new lanes in the northbound NLEx lane from Dau to Sta. Ines in Mabalacat City.
At present this section, which is only four kilometers long, provides only two lanes for north and south-bound vehicles.
Once finished, the old lanes would serve motorists going north or south, while the two new lanes would be for those bound for Mabalacat or Magalang, Pampanga or Bamban or Capas, Tarlac, the MNTC said.
Franco also said the MNTC is also constructing more tollbooths at the Bocaue exit, increasing the number from 25 to 33.
Of the P5 billion, some P1 billion would go for asphalting projects along the 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), from Tipo towards Subic Bay Freeport Zone up to La Paz, Tarlac which links to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx).
This year will cover the asphalting of portions of SCTEx from Porac, to Concepcion, Tarlac.
In 2017, new asphalt would be laid over the expressway from Porac to Floridablanca, Pampanga and from Concepcion to San Miguel in Tarlac City.
The asphalting is expected to be completed in 2018 when it would also cover the SCTEx stretch from Floridablanca, Pampanga to Tipo in Subic and from San Miguel to La Paz, Tarlac.
Franco also announced the widening of the Subic Bay Freeport Expressway (SFEx) which is connected to the SCTEx. The SFEx was constructed during the term of former Pres. Ramos when the country hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in 1996.
