Monday, December 5, 2016

MNTC proposes elevated expressway along C-5 road

THE Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) has submitted to the government an unsolicited proposal for an elevated expressway along C-5 road in Ortigas, which is seen to decongest the traffic in the area.

MNTC President and Chief Executive Officer Rodrigo E. Franco said that they have already submitted a proposal to both Department of Public Works and Highways and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for the construction of an elevated expressway along C-5.

“It’s around C-5. It will reach that part. It’s by portions because we need to finish the extension to Mindanao Ave. to C-5. That’s in the concession,” Mr. Franco told reporters last Friday in Pampanga.

The proposed elevated road project will serve as an alternate route to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), bypassing EDSA and the Balintawak toll plaza. MNTC is the builder and concessionaire of NLEx. 

The 7.85-kilometer C-5 link will start from the end of Segment 8.1 at Mindanao Ave. and end at Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.

Mr. Franco, however, did not provide additional details on the project, saying that they have yet to finalize the concept for the elevated expressway.

The MNTC president also revealed they have submitted to the TRB an official proposal for the extension of its NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10, which is estimated to cost between P6 billion and P7 billion. 

The project, Mr. Franco said, once approved may start immediately since there are no right-of-way issues. 

However, he said MNTC first has to complete the P8.6-billion NLEx C5-Link Project before undertaking its new elevated expressway.

On the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) project, Mr. Franco said that the start of the construction will push through to the first quarter of next year starting at the Laguna side with right-of-way issues expected to be delivered before construction commences.

MNTC moved to early 2017 the groundbreaking for the P62.72-billion CALAX which was earlier scheduled this year, as the government is still acquiring properties along the toll road’s route.

MNTC is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), which is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. 

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

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