BCDA proposes P2.49/km toll on new expressway

CLARK FREEPORT, Pam­panga – Officials of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) said yesterday that a toll of P2.49 per kilometer is likely to be imposed on motorists who will use the 93.77-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), which opens on March 15 next year.

BCDA executive vice president Isaac Puno Jr. told reporters that the P2.49 per kilo­meter toll will be presented to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for approval.

Robert Gervacio, BCDA program manager for operational support services, said the proposed toll was based on computations that considered the length of the expressway and the loan obtained by the BCDA for the expressway project, among other factors.

“It’s the likely rate to be implemented,” he said.

Puno said the toll computation will not be affected by the depreciating US dollar since the loan for the SCTEX was in Japanese yen from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

BCDA engineers reported during the conference that the entire project, costing $376.7 million, is now 91.5 percent complete and that unless defects are found in some parts of the expressway, it is expected to be opened to motorists by March 15 next year.

Puno said the bidding for the management and operations of the expressway is expected to start by the middle of next year.

For a six-month interim period, however, the BCDA awarded the SCTEX operations to the consortium of the First Philippine Tollways, Tollways Management and Aegis.

“We don’t expect traffic volume in the Subic-Clark segment of the expressway to be as heavy as the Clark-Tarlac segment, so I suppose there will be losses in the Subic-Clark segment that will have to be compensated by the other segment,” said Ger­vacio.

The Subic-Clark stretch is about 50.5 kilometers long. The four-lane stretch will have four interchanges in Florida­blanca, Porac, Angeles City and Clark in Pampanga, and three major bridges. It is being done by the Japanese KOJM joint venture at a cost of P12.7 billion.

On the other hand, the Clark-Tarlac segment, costing P8.7 billion, will also have four asphalt-concrete lanes stretching 43.27 kilometers with seven interchanges and one major bridge. Its contractor is the Japanese HTN joint venture.