Luzon benefits from new expressway deals

The city of Luzon in the Philippines looks set to gain from two major highway projects. Plans have been submitted for a new road linking Sen Gil Puyat Avenue of Makati City and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx). In addition  3189 South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC) is starting a project to extend the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) from Laguna province's Sto Tomas to Quezon's Lucena City. The plans for the NLEx have been put together by 3195 Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and submitted to the country's government. The project is expected to cost from US$380-515 million and the road will connect the North Harbor with the south and north Luzon expressways. The new link will include bridges and flyovers and the authorities are discussing the possibility of sourcing funding from the 2416 Japan International Cooperation Agency. Meanwhile the 30km SLEx highway will be extended by a minimum of 55km, with the work expected to cost $223.9 million. Manila Toll Expressway Systems (MATES), the sister company of SLTC, will take over the operations of SLEx. The highway is presently operated by 3194 Philippine National Construction (PNCC). SLTC is a unit of Malaysia-based 3185 MTD Capital.