ROW woes delay CALAX link opening
The project will ease traffic congestion in the 41-km Aguinaldo Highway, the busiest main thoroughfare in Cavite
Traffic gridlock in the south will be eased once the soon-to-open Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange of the Cavite - Laguna Expressway or CALAX becomes operational.
However, the opening of the expressway, although set for December, remains uncertain as the project still faces right-of-way issues.
“The project will ease traffic congestion in the 41-km Aguinaldo Highway, the busiest main thoroughfare in Cavite,” Raul Ignacio, president of MPCALA Holdings Inc. said at the sidelines of the project inspection on Monday.
“The target date of opening of the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange has been moved several times, with the latest target completion date — December 2022 — again uncertain,” he added.
Ignacio pointed out that the issues slow the progress of continuous works — including the construction of drainage and bridge, excavation and roadway earthworks, and installation of fence and coco net.
Christmas rush
Nonetheless, he said the company will pursue the timely completion of the project “in time for the Christmas rush to Tagaytay.”
The Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange is the fifth of eight segments of the 45-km CALAX, which is 64 percent complete.
Upon completion, this will serve more motorists given the reduced traffic situation. The current average daily traffic is 33,000 from Mamplasan to Silang Ease interchange. It is expected to increase to 40,000 once the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange is opened.
Currently, CALAX’s operational segment spans 14.24-kilometer with interchanges at Greenfield-Mamplasan, Laguna Technopark, Laguna Boulevard, Santa Rosa-Tagaytay, and Silang East. Other interchanges of CALAX, namely, Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, and Kawit, are targeted to be completed by 2023.
Upon completion of the entire public -private partnership project of the DPWH and MHI, it will connect to the Manila-Cavite Expressway in Kawit, Cavite.