THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced the opening of an expanded 2.22-kilometer section of Arterial Plaridel Bypass Road including one of Luzon’s longest bridge across Angat River in Bustos, Bulacan.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said the additional two new lanes will enhance transport capacity of the bypass road as it has been experiencing traffic growth with increasing number of motorists going to the eastern part of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.
The widened section is part of the Arterial Road Bypass Project-Phase 3 funded by a loan agreement between the Government of the Philippines and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain and officials of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines led by Economic Affairs Minister Masahiro Nakata, JICA Philippines Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa, and JICA Senior Representative Kenji Kuronuma made a final inspection on Friday of the expanded section before opening the completed additional two lanes to vehicular traffic.
“The widened section consists of 1.12 kilometer-Angat Bridge, 40.86 meter-Tambubong Bridge and 1.06 kilometer-road section are all under the Contract Package 3 of Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 3 which involves the widening of the entire 24.61 kilometer stretch of the Plaridel Bypass Road from the Balagtas area of the North Luzon Expressway all the way to San Rafael in Bulacan,” Sadain said.
As more motorists opted to use the Plaridel Bypass Road, a two-lane bridge was constructed adjacent to the bridge which was completed in May 2018 to increase carrying capacity and improve traffic flow per direction.
Capacity improvement works are also ongoing in other contract packages implemented by DPWH Unified Project Management Office Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral). (PR)