Bulacan Bypass Road to be completed by Q4 2023

The Bulacan Bypass Road is eyed to be completed in the final quarter of 2023.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain shared the target, noting that the construction work to widen the Arterial (Plaridel) Bypass Road to four from the current two lanes is now being fast tracked. The said portion links the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway (also known as Daang Maharlika in Bulacan).

According to Sadain, the road widening project is expected to make travel along the 22.46-kilometer bypass road more efficient while accommodating more vehicles.

The road network passes through five municipalities in the Province of Bulacan namely Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael, providing economic benefits in the area. The aforementioned portions of Bulacan now have commercial and industrial centers that created jobs while the thoroughfare connected people to major employment areas. The newest development is also attracting more businesses to the eastern part of Bulacan and adjacent province of Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon. 

With a working fund of P5.26 billion under the load agreement between the national government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project covers concrete paving of the new lanes, installation of box culverts and drainage structures, construction of eight bridges and three flyovers, and slope protection and miscellaneous structures.

The DPWH shared that the 7.70-kilometer contract package 4 in San Rafael town under Sino Road and Bridge Group Co. Ltd is at 90 percent completed and includes the construction of a 318-meter flyover at the intersection along Kalsadang Bago.

Meanwhile, the 12.27 kilometer stretch from Barangay Tiaong, Guiguinto to Barangay Bonga Menor, Bustos under contract packages 1 and 2 awarded to C.M. Pancho Construction Inc. is at 42 percent completed.

“If things go according to plan, the road widening activities for the entire project alignment will be completed within the last quarter of 2023,” Sadain mentioned.

Earlier, the DPWH completed the widening of a 2.22-kilometer section under contract package 3 including the westbound two-lane, 1.12-kilometer Angat Bridge, which is said to be among the longest bridges in Luzon.

 The Department has also started working on the rehabilitation and replacement of damaged concrete on intermittent sections of paved road under phases 1 and 2 to accommodate the new load demand.

Photos from Department of Public Works and Highways

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