By: Darwin G. Amojelar, as seen on http://www.manilastandard.net/business/transport-tourism/294651/metro-pacific-unit-eyes-p20-billion-nlex-extension-to-bataan.html, May 13, 2019 at 07:45 pm

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. said it plans to submit a proposal to the Toll Regulatory Board to build a P20-billion extension of North Luzon Expressway from San Fernando, Pampanga to Dinalupihan, Bataan.

“We still have to submit a proposal to TRB [to build NLEx Phase 3], but we’re hoping [that by the] second half we’ll submit to TRB,” MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

NLEx Phase 3 with an estimated cost of P20 billion is a 40-kilometer, two by two-lane expressway from San Fernando to Dinalupihan.

“That’s part of the concession of NLEx that has not been built. It was delayed a little bit because SCTEX [Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway] was built also. But we’re studying it if it is timely to push with the construction of that project,” Franco said.

Phase 1 of NLEx consists of four segments with a total length of 92 km, including the rehabilitated and expanded 84-km stretch from Balintawak, Quezon City to Mabalacat, Pampanga and the 8.5-km Segment 7 from Hermosa, Bataan to Subic Freeport.

Phase 2 of NLEx consists of four segments with a length of 21 kilometers involving the construction of the greenfield northern C5 to connect the existing C5 from C.P. Garcia Ave. in the University of the Philippines complex in Diliman, Quezon City to NLEx and extend westward to MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, turning south down to C3 in Caloocan City.

NLEx posted a net income of P5.7 billion in 2018, up 24 percent from P4.6 billion in 2017 on higher vehicle traffic.

Toll revenues reached P13 billion last year, up from P11.5 billion in 2017 also on higher traffic volume.

Vehicle traffic increased 7 percent along NLEx and surged 15 percent along SCTEx following the integration of the two roads and the opening of additional lanes in 2017. Non-toll revenues reached P208.3 million last year, up from P174.3 million in 2017.

NLEx spans 95 kilometers, or 527-lane kilometers, and serves an average of 237,046 vehicles a day. It is the main infrastructure backbone that connects Metro Manila to Central and Northern Luzon.