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The
National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)
Regional Development Council (RDC) in Region III
(Central Luzon) has endorsed the implementation of the
P3.07 billion worth Arterial Road Bypass Project (ARBP)
Phase 1.
In a
resolution, the RDC said the project aims to mitigate
traffic congestion in critical urban areas in Bulacan
and Nueva Ecija, particularly the municipalities of
Plaridel and Baliuag in Bulacan and the cities of
Cabanatuan and San Jose in Nueva Ecija.
The
project covered the construction of three bypass roads,
namely, the 22-km Plaridel-Baliuag Bypass, the 30.35-km
Cabanatuan Bypass, and the 7.31-km San Jose Bypass.
“ARBP is
one of the 16 priority strategic infrastructure projects
in Central Luzon that promote intra and interregional
mobility, particularly with the Cagayan Valley Region
and the National Capital Region,” the resolution said.
Phase 1
of the ARBP will be funded by the Japan Bank for
International Cooperation (JBIC). The total project cost
for the ARBP is P9.4 billion.
The
resolution said the JBIC loan will now be channeled
entirely into the full completion of the Plaridel Bypass
while the RDC cited the commitment of the Department of
Public Works and Highways to complete the project under
the terms approved by the government and JBIC.
Initially, the implementation of Phase 1 was
significantly delayed due to the evaluation of three
packages submitted to JBIC for review and concurrence,
as well as right-of-way acquisition. However, the RDC
resolution stated that the processing of documents and
payment for the ROW acquisition, particularly for the
Plaridel Bypass are currently on-going.
The
resolution also said that the construction of access
roads to the Cabanatuan Bypass, Plaridel Bypass and
other connecting roads in Bulacan were already completed
in March 2007. |
