Driving inside the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) is now safer, rain or shine, following the completion of the road raising project in Dinalupihan town and the roadway lighting and safety devices installation project in Hermosa, both in the province of Bataan.

NLEX Corporation president and general manager J. Luigi Bautista, during an inspection of the newly-completed projects on Friday, said the PHP150-million infrastructures include the raising of the elevation by 1.8 meters, and additional box culvert and new drainage structures of the 640-meter stretch of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) in Dinalupihan.

Bautista said the project ensures the safe passage of motorists even during inclement weather conditions.

“The new culverts can handle huge amount of water and help drain the water easily, preventing flooding,” he said in an interview.

Bataan officials including Hermosa Mayor Antonio Joseph Inton, Dinalupihan Mayor German Santos Jr., Dinalupihan Vice Mayor Fernando Manalili and Bataan Provincial Board Member Popoy Del Rosario, marked the milestone with a drive-through inspection of the newly completed projects.

Manalili noted that the construction of the SCTEX had boosted economic growth in the province.

“It brought magic in the northern and western Luzon with growth and development in areas where this expressway passes,” he said.

SCTEX was constructed with a specific objective to connect Subic Bay Freeport to land-locked Clark Freeport with a fast and convenient economic road.

However, the said portion of the expressway experienced road flooding during heavy rainfall last year, causing the temporary closing of the road.

“But we are enabling our infrastructures to be more efficient and capable of withstanding severe weather events in the future,” Bautista said.

Aside from road raising, NLEX Corporation also installed LED (light-emitting diode) lights and safety devices between the SCTEX Dinalupihan Spur and Roman Highway in Hermosa, Bataan to guide motorists, especially at night.

Covering approximately two kilometers, the improvement projects in Hermosa include light poles, directional signs, bollards, and reflectorized metal strips.

“We are also aiming to make night driving better through new brighter lights and signs, aside from making our roads more reliable. With these, we can reduce potential hazards caused by poor visibility and lack of traffic signs,” Bautista added.

Affirming the company’s commitment to safety, NLEX is the first tollway firm in the country to be certified and recertified for ISO 39001:2012 Road Traffic Safety Management System (RTSMS).

NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). (PNA)