THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is aiming to start the NAIA Expressway (NAIAEx) extension project with San Miguel Corp. (SMC) by the end of the year, but plans and costs have yet to be finalized.

“The concessionaire, San Miguel, will do the [extension] project. We’re working [it] out so we can start this year,” DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar told reporters in a recent interview.

“It’s just in the planning, there’s no final price,” Mr. Villar said when asked about the project cost.

SMC, through its unit Optimal Infrastructure Development, Inc., won the contract in May 2013 to construct the NAIAEx project.

“One will have a stop in Lawton [Avenue]… But we also have a project this year which is Lawton widening. With the widening of Lawton, those who go from NAIAEx can go straight to Fort Bonifacio,” Mr. Villar said, referring to the DPWH Lawton Avenue widening project.

Mr. Villar said SMC also put forward a proposal to extend the NAIAEx along Imelda Avenue in Parañaque City.

“It’s still in the planning stages… I don’t want to preempt their costing… It will be significant. We’re hoping this year, [they] can submit, we’re working it out,” Mr. Villar said.

FORT BONI WIDENING
The DPWH yesterday broke ground for the P458-million widening of the Fort Bonifacio-Nichols Field Road (Lawton Avenue) Phase 1 at a site near the intersection of Bayani Road and West McKinley in Taguig City.

Phase 1 of the road project will cover about 1.34 kilometers of Lawton Avenue, following a part of the alignment of the old Nichols route traversing southwest to northeast from the interchange of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx)/Skyway to Fifth Avenue and Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Mr. Villar said the Lawton widening project will increase the number of lanes from four to six. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

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