NLEX plans P105 million SFEX upgrade

MANILA, Philippines — North Luzon Expressway Corp. (NLEX) plans to spend P105 million for the delivery of road upgrade and safety enhancements to the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX).

NLEX yesterday announced that it has started road improvements to the SFEX as part of efforts to make the expressway safe for motorists, especially on bad weather days.

The road upgrade include improving road pavements and putting up ditch and slope protection, according to NLEX president and CEO J. Luigi Bautista.

Likewise, Bautista said NLEX would install guard rails and put on hazard paint in portions of SFEX. He expects the civil works to raise the safety features of the expressway by fortifying the slopes and renovating the drainage.

“We aim to make our roads safe for all weather conditions. With this enhancement, we expect to further protect motorists from roadside hazards by strengthening slopes and improving drainage systems and other safety features at the SFEX,” Bautista said.

Bautista said NLEX would enhance the SFEX pavement – covering 4,374 linear meters from the Jadjad Bridge to the Argonaut Bridge – to speed up the drainage of water from the roadway.

Further, NLEX will place wire mesh and apply concrete on a 1,830 square meter stretch of SFEX to reinforce the slopes and prevent erosion.

The toll road developer will also paint concrete barriers and other structures with warning signs to alert motorists of potential risks ahead of the way.

In 2021 NLEX completed the P1.6-billion expansion of SFEX seen to accelerate economic activities at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and surrounding communities. The expansion covered the construction of 16.4 kilometers of new lanes, two new bridges, as well as a new tunnel.

Similarly, NLEX installed international standard LED lights and raised the elevation of the junction of Maritan Highway, Rizal Highway and Tipo Road. The firm also improved the drainage systems to ensure the safety of motorists during rainy days.

NLEX vowed to sustain its road upgrade to SFEX to facilitate the transport of goods and services between the economic zones situated in Clark and Subic.

NLEX is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the toll road development unit of Manny Pangilinan-led conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp.