New CL roads to spur growth

PLARIDEL, Bulacan — "The completion of the bypass road in this town and the recent opening of the North Luzon Expressway-Balagtas interchange will not only greatly decongest traffic woes at the busy Sta. Rita Interchange and other major thoroughfares in Plaridel and Pulilan towns but will also open new growth corridors along the towns that it traverses," Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said March 27.

He said the travel time from the towns of Bustos, Angat, Norzagaray and other parts of eastern Bulacan to Metro Manila will be greatly lessened.

The new interchange will also play a major role in the economic development of Bulacan and nearby localities, he said.

The governor noted that the major road networks are strategically laid within the center of Bulacan, linking farming towns to growth areas like the cities of Malolos and Meycauayan and also to Metro Manila where travel time has now become quicker with the opening of the Balagtas interchange in Barangay Borol last week.

He said the agricultural products in the eastern towns of Bulacan will now have easier time reaching the markets with the completion of major road networks.

Alvarado said programs are also underway for the construction of new highways that will link Fairview in Quezon City to the city of San Jose del Monte as well as the mountain town of Dona Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Miguel to the province of Nueva Ecija and Aurora.

He, however, cautioned the Department of Agrarian Reform to see to it that the law is observed to the letter, adding that portions of the road networks will traverse some farmlands.

“Kapagang area ay irrigated it is non-negotiable. Environment protection can co-exist with growth and development. It is a case where environment and sustainable development can complement each other,” Alvarado said.

The new bypass road, designed to reduce travel time in the eastern towns of Bulacan by about 20 minutes, comes with an additional 2.4-kilometer access road leading to downtown Plaridel.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson said the entire two-phase project consisted of four contract packages to be built in succession.

Singson said he looks forward to the early implementation of Contract Packages 3 and 4 under Phase 2 covering a total of 9.96 kilometers from Bustos to San Rafael to be bankrolled by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) president Ramoncito S. Fernandez noted that the Plaridel Bypass Road manifests public-private partnerships (PPP) in action.