MANILA, Philippines — The 12-kilometer connector road between the South Luzon Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and North Luzon Expressway (SLEX) has to be redesigned to accommodate the plan of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) to construct an express rail alongside the elevated tolllroad.
Carina Cabral, assistant secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said this during an investment briefing with the UK Mission on the country’s Public-Private Partnership program.
According to Cabral, the 12-kilometer elevated connector tollroad for SLEX and NLEX is under negotiation. The Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) has proposed to build the connector road (Buendia skyway to Caloocan) for P17 billion.
“The 12 kilometer expressway to be constructed above the PNR rail is under negotiation but we are constrained because of the plan of the DoTC to push for an express railway so we are considering a redesigning of the elevated expressway whether it is on the left or right,” Cabral said.
Cabral said that they are just awaiting for a “no objection” from the DoTC on the unsolicited connector road proposal by MNTC.
Once the negotiations are finished, the project would be submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority. Then they can advertise for a Swiss Challenge and hopefully implement the project by middle of next year.
Meantime, the DoTC is expected to start with its feasibility for the express rail next year.
The DoTC express rail is expected to go all the way to Clark international airport from Manila.
Cabral also announced that the December 8, 2011 deadline for the acceptance of bids for the Daang Hari PPP project has been extended to December 12 but said they are still on track for the January schedule for the notice of award of bidding and construction by March next year and opening of the road by 2013.
The two other projects for bidding next year would include the Phase I of the 70,000 classrooms and the vaccine project of the Department of Health.
