MANILA, Philippines - The Luzon Spine Expressway Network is Duterte administration’s answer to help decongest the traffic in Metro Manila and busiest parts of Luzon.
The Philippines has one of the worst traffic in the world. Under President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was tasked to build an expressway that would connect the northern and southernmost part of Luzon.
The Luzon Spine Expressway is a 1,040 km network that aims to build an additional 18 expressways with a total road length of 655 km. It would then connect to the existing 12 expressway network spanning 385 km.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar hopes that the new high standard highways will significantly ease the traffic and cut down travel time. Once the ambitious project is completed, the travel time from Metro Manila to San Fernando, La Union will be reduced from six (6) hours and 55 minutes to three (3) hours and 10 minutes. La Union to Bicol travel time will also be reduced from from 19 hours and 40 minutes to eight (8) hours and 15 minutes.
Included in the expressway network are the NLEX Harbor Link Project, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, Central Luzon Link Expressway, Plaridel By-Pass Road Phase II, Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, among others.
The NLEX Harbor Link Project is a 5.7 km expressway, which traverses Karuhatan in Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and C3 road in Caloocan City.
The Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) is a 30-km expressway, which runs through the municipalities of La Paz, Zaragosa, Aliaga, and Caalibangbangan, to connect Tarlac and Cabanatuan.
The Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) 3rd section is a 25.83 km expressway which extends the existing 63.02 km alignment traversing Tarlac, Rosales and Urdaneta to Binalonan, Pozzurobio and La Union.
The NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, an 8 km four lane expressway that will reduce travel time from NLEX to SLEX from 2 hours to only about 20 minutes.
The Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, a 14.8 km, 6-lane expressway which will connect Balintawak in Quezon City to Buendia Makati. This will significantly ease traffic in EDSA especially during peak hours.
In the next six years, Sec. Villar confirmed that the Build, Build, Build program costs P8.4 trillion.
The Duterte administration has allocated DPWH the second biggest budget this year, amounting to P428 billion. From that, traffic decongestion programs were granted the biggest chunk of P107.8 billion. Second biggest budget is project on liveable, sustainable and resilient communities with P104.4 billion. While P95.9 billion goes to the integrated and seamless transport system. A budget of P18.8 billion goes to convergence and rural road development program.
— Sally, The Summit Express
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| The ambitious project aims to decongest EDSA and other major roads | Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Mark Villar |
The Philippines has one of the worst traffic in the world. Under President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was tasked to build an expressway that would connect the northern and southernmost part of Luzon.
The Luzon Spine Expressway is a 1,040 km network that aims to build an additional 18 expressways with a total road length of 655 km. It would then connect to the existing 12 expressway network spanning 385 km.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar hopes that the new high standard highways will significantly ease the traffic and cut down travel time. Once the ambitious project is completed, the travel time from Metro Manila to San Fernando, La Union will be reduced from six (6) hours and 55 minutes to three (3) hours and 10 minutes. La Union to Bicol travel time will also be reduced from from 19 hours and 40 minutes to eight (8) hours and 15 minutes.
Included in the expressway network are the NLEX Harbor Link Project, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, Central Luzon Link Expressway, Plaridel By-Pass Road Phase II, Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, among others.
The NLEX Harbor Link Project is a 5.7 km expressway, which traverses Karuhatan in Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and C3 road in Caloocan City.
The Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) is a 30-km expressway, which runs through the municipalities of La Paz, Zaragosa, Aliaga, and Caalibangbangan, to connect Tarlac and Cabanatuan.
The Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) 3rd section is a 25.83 km expressway which extends the existing 63.02 km alignment traversing Tarlac, Rosales and Urdaneta to Binalonan, Pozzurobio and La Union.
The NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, an 8 km four lane expressway that will reduce travel time from NLEX to SLEX from 2 hours to only about 20 minutes.
The Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, a 14.8 km, 6-lane expressway which will connect Balintawak in Quezon City to Buendia Makati. This will significantly ease traffic in EDSA especially during peak hours.
 |
| The project is part of Duterte’s Build, Build, Build infrastructure program | Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Mark Villar |
In the next six years, Sec. Villar confirmed that the Build, Build, Build program costs P8.4 trillion.
The Duterte administration has allocated DPWH the second biggest budget this year, amounting to P428 billion. From that, traffic decongestion programs were granted the biggest chunk of P107.8 billion. Second biggest budget is project on liveable, sustainable and resilient communities with P104.4 billion. While P95.9 billion goes to the integrated and seamless transport system. A budget of P18.8 billion goes to convergence and rural road development program.
— Sally, The Summit Express
