CLLEX now 96% complete

MANILA: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced that the 30-kilometer Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) project is now 96% complete.

According to DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil Sadain, the first 18 kilometers of the CLLEX from Tarlac Interchange at the connection of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) in Balingcanaway, Tarlac City to Guimba-Aliaga Road in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija will be extended with additional 11 kilometers, including seven kilometers up to the San Juan Interchange and four kilometers to Umangan-Julo Road at the boundary of Aliaga and Cabanatuan City before Felix Vergara Road and Daang Maharlika Highway by March 2023.

Last Friday, July 22, Usec. Sadain and DPWH UPMO-Roads Management Cluster 1 Project Director Benjamin Bautista inspected the construction of the four-lane expressway. Ongoing works include interchanges, overpasses, and underpasses from Aliaga Section to Cabanatuan Section.

CLLEX is part of the Luzon Spine Expressway Network which targets to cut travel time from Ilocos to Bicol.

The partial opening of CLLEX in 2021 helped spread out traffic better, reducing transportation costs and benefiting farmers from Central Luzon and Cagayan region.

In a statement, Usec. Sadain said, “The CLLEX project will support the country’s new vision for improving agricultural productivity under the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. Using this toll-free high standard highway, palay crops and other products from Nueva Ecija — the Philippines’ rice granary, including those coming from Region 2 can reach the market centers in Metro Manila much faster and cheaper.”

The P11.811-billion expressway aims to reduce travel time from Tarlac City to Cabanatuan City from 70 minutes to just 20 minutes once fully operational.

With funding assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the expressway is also expected to provide better access to economic hubs in Region 3 such as Clark and Subic.

Photos from Department of Public Works and Highways

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