Manila Bulletin

Cavite-Laguna-Expressway opens first sections by end of 2019

- By EMMIE V. ABADILLA

BINAN, Laguna – The first sections of the Cavite-Laguna-Expressway (CALAX) will open by the 4th Quarter of 2019, Department of Public Works and Highways [DPWH] Secretary Mark A. Villar announced Tuesday after his inspection of the toll road.

“We are on target,” he said. “We’ll acquire majority of the right-of-way (ROW), 70 percent, by the end of the year.”

They have acquired 40 percent of the ROW on the Cavite portion of the road. “That is workable. We have the permit to enter. Now, CALAX will cross to Cavite. Our ROW

acquisitio­n of the Laguna portion is already complete.”

“This first three sections, from Mamplasan to Sta. Rosa, when opened will spur growth in trade and tourism in Laguna and Cavite,” Villar stressed.

Approximat­ely 10,000 cars are expected to use these sections. The opening of these sections should ease traffic along Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, and Sta. RosaTagayt­ay Road.

“When fully completed in 2022, travel time from Laguna and Cavite will be cut by more than half – from your usual 2 hours, to less than 1 hour,” he added.

The first sections start at the Mamplasan Barrier and passes through Laguna Technopark Interchang­e, Laguna Boulevard Interchang­e all the way to Santa RosaTagayt­ay Interchang­e.

“We are working with DPWH to complete the full 45 kilometers (kms) by the second quarter of 2022,” said MP Cala Holdings, Inc president Bobby Bontia.

The CALAX is designed to be a four-lane, tolled expressway that will connect CAVITEX in Kawit to South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) at their Mamplasan Interchang­e in Biñan, Laguna.

CALAX will have interchang­es in eight locations, namely: Kawit, Imus Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Sta. RosaTagayt­ay, Laguna Blvd., Technopark, and a Toll Barrier before SLEX.

It will also showcase technologi­cally advance features such as Automatic License Plate Recognitio­n System enabling barrierles­s entry to CALAX, IP Based Speed Detection Cameras strategica­lly installed, and High Definition CCTV cameras to cover the entire stretch of the expressway to ensure safe and efficient travel by the motorists.

MP Cala Holdings, Inc. is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporatio­n (MPTC) whose domestic portfolio includes the concession­s of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the NLEX Connector Road, CAVITEX, and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu.

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