NLEX Candaba 3rd Viaduct nears completion

MANILA: The NLEX Corporation is on track of completing the North Luzon Expressway Candaba third viaduct by November 2024.

In a statement, the toll operator shared that the construction work for the project is already at 92 percent.

NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi Bautista lauded those who are involved in the project — from the workers on the ground, to government partners.

“The Candaba 3rd Viaduct project reflects our commitment to enhancing travel convenience and safety for motorists. We are thrilled to provide a safer and more efficient travel experience ahead of the holiday rush. We are grateful to all our partners, both in the private and public sectors, for their commitment to and support for this project,” he was quoted as saying.

Divided into three zones to ensure timely completion, the project’s Zone 1 (Pulilan portion) was completed last August, while zones 2 and 3, (Apalit area), are eyed to be finished by September and November, respectively.

For more than four decades, the Candaba Viaduct served as a crucial link between Pulilan in Bulacan and Apalit in Pampanga — with its two existing bridges catering to northbound and southbound motorists.

According to NLEX Corporation, the construction of the third viaduct (positioned in between the two existing bridges) is part of its broader initiative to enhance the “infrastructure's expressway serviceability, safety, and reliability.”

Aside from the Candaba Third Viaduct, numerous projects are also lined up in Pampanga to improve travel experiences for expressway users that would contribute to the province's overall progress.

Among the said projects underway are the NLEX Segment 3 widening (which expands the road capacity of NLEX San Fernando to Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Spur in Mabalacat.

 Scheduled to commence within the initial quarter of 2025, the project will increase the expressway's capacity from two lanes to three lanes in each direction. It will also include the installation of roadway lighting from NLEX San Fernando to Sta. Ines, Mabalacat for enhanced safety, and the expansion of the Mexico Interchange to accommodate the growing volume of vehicles in the area.

Relatedly, the Sto. Tomas Interchange project under the Department of Public Works and Highways — currently under construction between San Simon and San Fernando in Pampanga, will also help decongest major roads such as Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA) and Olongapo-Gapan road by bringing NLEX closer to the towns in the west.

While under the government agency, its completion and subsequent operation and maintenance will be a collaborative effort of the DPWH, the Toll Regulatory Board, and NLEX Corporation — with the support of the Sto. Tomas local government as well as the fourth district of Pampanga. The construction is expected to be finished within the fourth quarter of 2025.

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NLEX to work on major projects, road enhancements this year