Manila North Tollways Corp. has expressed interest in joining the auction for the proposed P9.39-billion expressway in Bulacan province under the government’s public private partnership program.
“Yes, we are interested in the project. It is connected to NLEX [North Luzon Expressway] and will expand our expressway footprint in Bulacan,” MNTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said, referring to the Plaridel Bypass Toll Road Project.
The Plaridel Bypass Toll Road, which was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee, is a 23.3-kilometer road starting at the Balagtas interchange in NLEx up to San Rafael, Bulacan.
The road project traverses five towns of Bulacan, including Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael. It involves the conversion of the existing road into a toll road.
The road will be expanded into a four-lane road, with 3.5-meter width per lane and 2.5-meter shoulder.
The project includes the construction of additional interchanges, overpass/underpass and other miscellaneous works as well as the operation and maintenance of the toll road and provision for service roads.
Franco earlier said the company was also awaiting the auction of Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase 2.
The P14.2-billion CLEX Phase 2 is a two-lane expressway that stretches 35.7 kilometers, which will also be bid out under PPP.
The project is an extension of CLEX Phase I and will connect Cabanatuan City to San Jose City, also in Nueva Ecija. Phase 1 will be constructed by the government with funding from the government of Japan.
MPCALA Holdings Inc., a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., last month topped the bidding for the Cavite-Laguna Expressway with a premium offer of P27.3 billion, besting the P22.2-billion bid of Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc., a unit of San Miguel Corp. MPIC also controls MNTC.
Other DPWH projects awarded under PPP were the P15.5-billion NAIA Expressway and the P1.96-billion Daang Hari-SLEX Link.
