Motorists can expect a much faster and safer journey to Central and Northern Luzon once the third Candaba Viaduct is completed.
The third viaduct will be constructed by NLEX Corp., a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. or MPTC, the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.
The first 5-kilometer Candaba Viaduct connects Bulacan and Pampanga along the North Luzon Expressway. It has been an important bridge for motorists traveling from Metro Manila to Central and Northern Luzon for over 50 years. The viaduct has withstood natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes.
The current project was recently inaugurated in a groundbreaking ceremony led by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Toll Regulatory Board Executive Director Alvin Carullo, Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda, Department of Public Works and Highways Region 3 Director Roseller Tolentino, MPTC president Rogelio L. Singson, and NLEX president and general manager Jose Luigi L. Bautista.
Targeted for completion in November 2024, the P7.89-billion third viaduct requires the construction of a new bridge between the two existing viaducts. Once completed, the road capacity of the new viaduct will increase from three lanes without shoulders to three lanes with inner and outer shoulders in each direction. These lanes and shoulders will be wide, boosting safety and convenience for travelers.
According to MPTC president and CEO Singson, who is a former Public Works and Highways secretary, “This project will not only increase the capacity of the 5-km Candaba Viaduct but will ultimately improve safety and convenience of the motorists and will aid in the acceleration and growth of trade and commerce in Central Luzon.”
Speaker Romualdez emphasized the importance of the new bridge which is expected to decongest traffic and reduce travel time for motorists.
“This project will not only enhance the efficiency of our transportation network but also contribute to the overall socioeconomic development of the region. It will create jobs, attract investments, and stimulate economic growth,” Romualdez said.
The third Candaba Viaduct will be built using green and sustainable engineering practices and comply with the country’s latest bridge design requirements. It will have piers every 20 meters, with each pier supported by two columns and two bored piles, strengthening the structure amid the swampy condition of the natural ground beneath it.
NLEX president and general manager Bautista assured motorists the construction of the new bridge would not affect the operation and traffic flow on the two existing viaducts. Based on the studies, constructing the third viaduct is necessary because the existing structures are aging and operating at a lower capacity. Competent engineers and management teams will manage the construction site to ensure efficiency and safety.
“This new mobility project will offer easy journeys and make travel safer for the public traveling between Metro Manila and Central and Northern Luzon as there will be a new structure to augment the existing ones and that will safely allow the speed limit to be increased to 60 to 80 kilometers per hour from the current 40 to 60 kilometers per hour,” said Bautista, adding that upon completion, Class 3 vehicles or large trucks will be directed to the new bridge so that the old structures will be relieved of heavy loads.
Since 2005, MPTC has been upgrading the viaduct. Among the upgrades were pavement resurfacing, bridge link slab, girder, and deck replacement; girder and column strengthening; and construction of lay-bys or emergency bays in the northbound and southbound directions of the bridge.
Since 2020, stricter anti-overloading policies, such as the 33-ton gross vehicle weight limit for the southbound viaduct, were implemented to ensure the safety and stability of the bridge.
With projects like the third Candaba Viaduct underway, motorists can expect even more improvements in the quality of the road infrastructure and service along the NLEX. These projects aim to ensure the utmost comfort and safety of motorists traveling to Central and Northern Luzon through the expressway.
With the BBM administration’s vision of taking the country into the golden age of infrastructure, this project will certainly add to the many programs in the pipeline that in the end will benefit millions of Filipinos.