NLEX Candaba 3rd Viaduct nears completion at 92%

Motorists traveling along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) may have noticed that portions of the Candaba 3rd Viaduct is already open to traffic. While it’s not yet fully completed, NLEX Corporation has decided to open key segments of it to the public for motorists to use.

Soon, however, the new viaduct is set to be fully opened to expressway users after NLEX Corporation announced they are making steady progress on the project. As of late, construction on the said viaduct is now at 92% completion and is on track to be finished in November 2024. NLEX Corporation president & general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista is looking forward to its upcoming completion and extends gratitude to everyone involved.

“The Candaba 3rd Viaduct project reflects our commitment to enhancing travel convenience and safety for motorists. We are thrilled to provide a safer and more efficient travel experience ahead of the holiday rush. We are grateful to all our partners, both in the private and public sectors, for their commitment to and support for this project,” said Bautista.

The tollway company divided the Candaba 3rd Viaduct project into three zones to ensure timely completion. Zone 1 or the Pulilan portion was completed last August, while zones 2 and 3, covering the Apalit area, are set to be completed by September and November, respectively.

With the Candaba Viaduct serving as an important link between Pulian, Bulacan & Apalit, Pampanga, the construction of the 3rd viaduct is part of NLEX Corporation’s broader initiative to enhance the infrastructure’s expressway serviceability, safety, and reliability.

Aside from the soon-to-be-completed Candaba 3rd Viaduct, other NLEX projects are lined up or are underway in the province of Pampanga to improve travel experiences. These include the NLEX Segment 3 Widening project that expands the road capacity of NLEX San Fernando to SCTEX Spur in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

It’s scheduled to begin in Q1 2025 and will see the expansion of the expressway’s capacity from 2 lanes to 3 lanes in each direction. The project also includes the installation of roadway lighting from NLEX San Fernando to Sta. Ines, Mabalacat for enhanced safety, and the expansion of the Mexico Interchange to accommodate the growing volume of vehicles in the area.

The DPWH’s Sto. Tomas Interchange project, currently being constructed between San Simon and San Fernando in Pampanga, will also help decongest major roads such as Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA) and Olongapo-Gapan Road. This is being done to bring NLEX closer to the towns in the west.

While this is a DPWH project, its completion and subsequent operation and maintenance will be a collaborative effort of the DPWH, TRB, and NLEX Corporation with the support of the Sto. Tomas LGU and the 4th District of Pampanga. The construction remains on track for its target completion in Q4 2025.