San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is set to kick off the full-swing construction of the approximately P148.30-billion Northern Access Link Expressway (NALEX) by the last quarter of the year, according to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).
TRB executive director Alvin Carullo recently told reporters that the project has significantly moved forward with the approval of its final engineering design.
“For the NALEX, we have already implemented what we call the Balintawak Advanced Works. By the last quarter of this year, the full-blast implementation of the NALEX will start,” Carullo said.
The NALEX is a part of the Greater Capital Region Integrated Expressways Network.
Two phases
It consists of two phases. NALEX, Phase 1 is a proposed 136.4-kilometer expressway envisioned to provide connectivity between Metro/Mega Manila, the New Manila International Airport, and Central Luzon as an extension and/or linkage of the Metro Manila Skyway-Stage 3 in Balintawak.
NALEX Phase 2, meanwhile, is a demand-driven expansion from Masantol, Pampanga to Tarlac City.
The Supplemental Toll Operations Agreement for the project was approved in 2022.
SALEX
Meanwhile, another project proposed by SMC, the P152.39-billion Southern Luzon Access Expressway (SALEX), which is the second component of the Greater Capital Region Integrated Expressways Network, is nearing completion and approval of its final engineering design.
“SALEX is due for submission of its final engineering design on June 27,” Carullo said. “Hopefully, by early next year, it will start construction.”
SALEX is a proposed 40.65-km elevated expressway network comprising the Shoreline Expressway and three Metro Manila Skyway Stage Extensions, namely: C3-R10 Extension, Quirino Extension, and Buendia Extension.