DPWH starts widening of Lawton Avenue in Taguig

FILE PHOTO/ The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Logo (Photo: Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA — The ‘Build, Build, Build’ team composed of different government agencies on Monday spearheaded the ground-breaking ceremony of the PHP458-million road infrastructure project in Taguig City that will reduce travel time from Bonifacio Global City (BGC) to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by about 40 percent and accommodate additional volume of vehicles once completed.

The time capsule laying ceremony project for the widening of Fort Bonifacio – Nichols Field Road Phase 1 was conducted at the site near intersection of Bayani Road and West McKinley in the said city.

“The Fort Bonifacio-Nichols Field Road Project, which spans 3.1 km, will convert the existing four-lane road way into a six-lane highway. When completed, it will reduce travel time from BGC to NAIA by about 40 percent and accommodate additional volume of vehicles. The project is expected to decongest adjacent thoroughfares like EDSA, South Superhighway, and C5,” said DPWH Mark Villar in a statement.

“Phase 1 of the road project, which spans about 1.34 kilometer of the Lawton Avenue, follows a part of the alignment of the old Nichols route running roughly southwest to northeast from the interchange of SLEX/Skyway to Fifth Avenue and Manila American Cemetery Memorial,” he added.

The provision of underground conduits for utilities and electrical facilities are also considered in the project design, scope, and costing considering its location at the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) area which adopts underground installation of utilities.

The DPWH official noted that the widening of Lawton Avenue will also complement to the BGC – Ortigas Center Link Road Project,  a priority project over Pasig River that will increase the road network capacity in Metro Manila which started last July 2017.

The 961.427-lineal meter road project involves the construction of a four-lane Sta Monica to Lawton Bridge across Pasig River connecting Lawton Avenue in Makati City and Sta. Monica Street in Pasig City and a viaduct structure traversing Lawton Avenue onwards to the BGC entrance.

Likewise, it will lead to the improvement of accessibility between the Cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong, Taguig and Makati

Once completed by March 2020, traveling between the central business districts of Taguig and Pasig Cities will only take 12 minutes and traffic congestion at EDSA and C-5 Road particularly along Guadalupe Bridge and Bagong Ilog Bridge will be alleviated by about 25 percent.

Also present during the ceremony, which marked the beginning of the project were Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto Pernia and BCDA President Vince Dizon. (PNA)