CITY OF MEYCAUAYAN-Bulacan Fourth District Rep. Henry Villarica is proposing a law that will require proponents of Private Public Partnership road projects to build service roads on both sides of the expressways not only to decongest traffic but more so to spur economic growth and development.
Villarica on Monday led the opening of the 200 meters Meycauayan-Marilao East Service Road along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
Villarica said Bulacan came late with the progress and development compared with other provinces and region where there are expressways because of very limited service roads built over the years and it was only today that new service roads are being constructed.
“The supposed much earlier economic boom of Bulacan compared with other regions and provinces was not realized because there were no service roads built along the expressways,” he said.
However, he remained thankful that two service roads were already added in Meycauayan just within months.
The Meycauayan-Marilao East Service Road was constructed after President Duterte asked NLEX hierarchy to work on the project to help decongest traffic in Meycauayan and further bring forth development based on the request of Rep. Villarica.
“Dati, diyan sa Ever Memorial, sinaran ng wire fence ng mga land owners para hindi makadaan ang mga tao at mga motorista and it prevented progress, pero ngayon bukas na. Sa mga service roads ay itinatayo ngayon ang commercial establishments and businesses na nagbibigay nga kabuhayan at trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan. Ang vision natin ay mapaganda ang Bulacan lalo na itong 4th district,” he said..
Officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and NLEX Corporation inaugurated the 200 meters Meycauayan-Marilao East Service road that will help decongest the traffic and boost economic development.
NLEX Corporation Vice President for Communication and Stakeholder Management Donna Marcelo said the new two-lane road which is a continuation of the Meycauayan East Service Road will serve as an alternative route going in and out of Meycauayan and Marilao.
It is opened three months after the 1km Meycauayan East Service Road which connects Libtong in Meycauayan City and Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City was opened in December.
Meycauayan City Mayor Linabelle Ruth Villarica, Marilao Mayor Ricardo Silvestre, Meycauayan City Vice Mayor Josefina Violago, Marilao Vice Mayor Henry Lutao, DPWH Assistant Regional Director Denise Maria Ayag, Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Chief of Regulation Division Joz Carlos Ordillano joined Marcelo in the inaugural drive-thru.
The opening of this road will help ease the growing traffic volume at the Meycauayan-Marilao corridor as it bypasses the MacArthur Highway and other congested streets. Now, motorists coming from Paso de Blas, Valenzuela City can go all the way to Lias, Marilao, Bulacan just by using the service road, Marcelo added, Marcelo said.
It will also help improve traffic flow at heavily congested Meycauayan Interchange particularly during peak hours and provide an alternative convenient route for motorists especially those traveling between Iba, Libtong, Malhacan, and Pandayan in Meycauayan and Lias, Ibayo, Saog, and Lambakin in Marilao.
