CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will construct two access roads leading to the New Clark City (NCC) in Capas, Tarlac to meet the potential demand for better roads within the Clark Special Economic Zone.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, based on a report by Tarlac Second District Engineer Neil Farala, identified the two roads as the New Clark City to Tarlac-Zambales Road (TZR) and the McArthur Highway to NCC.
“The construction of these much-needed access roads will provide an alternate route to NCC aside from the existing North Luzon Expressway/Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and serve as access roads to tourism spots in Capas such as the Capas National Shrine and Capas Death March Monument,” Villar said in an official social media post on Thursday.
The four-lane NCC to Tarlac-Zambales Road with two bridge components and a total length of 6.40 kilometers will be connected to the completed 6.22-kilometer MacArthur Highway to NCC via Kalangitan Access Road, forming a continuous road network providing motorists a faster, shorter, and more convenient travel.
As of June 2021, the proposed road widening and construction of drainage along the MacArthur Highway to NCC is already completed while the construction of its reinforced concrete bridge in replacement of the temporary steel bridges is ongoing and scheduled to be completed this year.
The 5.60-km portion of NCC to Tarlac-Zambales via Kalangitan Access Road is set to be finished this year, leaving a 0.80-kilometer section that is scheduled to begin construction next year.
Farala said the construction of drainage and installation of solar LED street lights, as well as pavement markings, are programmed in 2022 to boost agricultural support for local farmers by shortening travel time in Capas.
The roads will be constructed through a convergence project between the DPWH and the Department of Tourism-Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (DOT-TRIP).
Meanwhile, a diversion road is also being constructed by the Tarlac 1st District Engineering Office that will link Tarlac province’s capital to NCC, bypassing the 24.1-kilometer Manila North Road.
Already on its second phase of the multi-year project, the road concreting, widening and rehabilitation of the Tarlac City Southwest Diversion Road began in 2020 and is expected to open and become fully operational in 2022.
Tarlac 1st District Engineer Erelina B. Santos earlier said the existing unpaved Tibag-Armenia via Tibagan Balanti Diversion Road is currently being improved to serve as an alternate road to NCC and a shorter way to Tarlac City and the adjacent provinces instead of driving via the Manila North Road.
Source: Philippines News Agency
