MPCALA Holdings Inc. said Thursday it expects to open to motorists a new subsection of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway by the third quarter of this year.
MPCALA, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., reported 83-percent construction progress on the new Subsection 5 of CALAX.
Subsection 5 covers the 7.2-kilometer link from Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange to Silang East Interchange. Ongoing works include bridge deck and pavement construction, drainage works, road furniture and sound barriers and structures of Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange.
“As travel restrictions are slowly but surely being lifted, this new subsection of CALAX will help accelerate economic progress in Laguna and Cavite by providing interconnection between the two provinces of Region 4-A," Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.
"This segment is crucial since it is expected to serve almost 5,000 cars per day, and will ease traffic along Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road once opened. Right-of-way acquisition has been a challenge, so we are giving our full effort to deliver and eventually open with as little deviation to the original timeline as possible," he said.
Villar said the completed and operational segments from Mamplasan to Santa Rosa were servicing about 10,000 vehicles daily.
"We target to finish the whole 45-km stretch of CALAX and serve 50,000 cars before 2022 ends," he said.
"With the combined efforts of DPWH and MHI we are optimistic and excited to open the new Subsection 5, hence as soon as right-of-way is handed over to us, we double construction efforts to avoid any unnecessary delay, while ensuring safety in the workplace," said MPCALA president and general manager Roberto Bontia.
A simultaneous intensified effort is the construction of Subsection 4 which is up to Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange.
Upon completion the P24.2-billion, 4-lane expressway will connect Manila-Cavite Expressway in Kawit, Cavite to the South Luzon Expressway at Greenfield (Mamplasan) Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. With Roy Tomandao
