THE 2.7-kilometer Mindanao Avenue road extension project in Quezon City, started 38 years ago, will finally be completed after the government resolved the Right of Way issue that caused the delay, the Department of Public Works and Highways said.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the department was undertaking the finishing works in concreting the additional 600-meter segment which would make 2.7 kilometers of Mindanao Avenue Extension accessible within the first quarter of this year.
“The project was started in the 1980s but was stopped for decades due to right-of-way issues. We are happy that it was during the term of President Duterte that we are able to deliver this project,” he said.
“The P118-million project which is now 87.78 percent also involves construction of drainage and slope protection, reinforced concrete box culvert, and street lighting,” Villar said.
Construction of the road extension project resumed in 2017 after the government acquired 100 percent of the disputed land.
Meanwhile, Villar, in a statement, said the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link Segment 10 was set to be opened for motorists this month after the Department of Public Works and Highways acquired 100 percent of the project’s site.
The Segment 10 is composed of the 5.65-kilometer elevated expressway traversing the NLEX from MacArthur Highway Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, passing through Malabon City and C3 Road, Caloocan City, and the 2.6-kilometer section between C3 Road, Caloocan City and R10, Navotas City.
“We are happy to announce that the NLEX Harbor Link Project will be accessible to the public by January. When this is completed, travel time from C3 in Caloocan and NLEX, will be reduced to 10 minutes,” Villar said.
He noted that since the issuance of Department Order 65 last May 2018, the DPWH had acquired 100-percent possession of site of the NLEX Harbor Link Project Segment 10 as of December 2018, after one year and seven months.
DO 65 created a right-of-way task force for each of the projects being implemented by the DPWH.
Villar said acquisition of ROW resulted to the additional 700-meter road section from P. dela Cruz Street to MGM Road which was completed in June 2018, making 2.1-kilometers accessible to motorists and the public.
“Upon completion of the additional 600-meter segment, DPWH will be working on right-of-way issues along the missing 500-meter gap which will soon complete the full 3.2-kilometer stretch of the Mindanao Avenue Extension,” Villar said.
“The completion of the 8-lane Mindanao Avenue Extension is our utmost priority as it will greatly reduce travel time by linking North Caloocan to the North Luzon Expressway and Quezon City and improve traffic flow in the cities of Novaliches, Valenzuela and Caloocan City,” Vilar said.
