Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar led on Saturday the inauguration of the Ciudad de Victoria project in this town.

The project includes the construction of a North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) interchange and a bypass road.

Aside from Villar, other government officials who attended the inauguration rites include DPWH Senior Undersecretary Rafael Yabut, DPWH Assistant Secretary Wilfredo Mallari, Rep. Gavini “Apol” Pancho, Bocaue Mayor Jose Santiago Jr., Philippine National Railways (PNR) General Manager Junn Magno, DPWH Region 3 Director Roseller Tolentino, among others.

Villar said the infrastructure development highlights the assurance from DPWH 3 that it will continue to implement projects that will be of great benefit to the general public.

“As you can see, our agency has been scaling up Central Luzon’s infrastructure assets and we are aware that improving mobility and accessibility is a crucial driver of economic and social development,” Villar said during the event.

He said the project is seen to create a positive impact not only in improving mobility but also in enhancing accessibility in the towns of Sta. Maria, Marilao, and Bocaue in Bulacan — bolstering economic activities in the province.

“The project provides more options to motorists going to the Philippine Arena, NLEx, or the neighboring town of Sta. Maria without having to endure the traffic that is often experienced along McArthur Highway and Governor F. Halili Road,” he added.

Implemented by the DPWH-3, the 1.37-kilometer, six-lane bypass road from the McArthur Highway to Bocaue Municipal Hall included the construction of a 22.80 linear meter bridge connecting Manila North Road to Ciudad de Victoria, and a 1.2-kilometer, four-lane road connecting the Philippine Arena to the Bocaue-Sta. Maria Bypass Road.

Tolentino said the entire road project, which started in 2018, amounted to a total of PHP900 million.

He said the project’s initial phase was inaugurated last November 2019, or days before the grand opening of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games at the Philippine Arena.

The project’s last phase hit a snag due to right-of-way (RROW) concerns since it passed across the ongoing construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

However, the DOTR allowed the use of the 30-meter road width within the RROW of the PNR.

“We are thankful to the DOTr. Now, we have successfully connected the road we built at both sides of the railway,” Villar said. (PNA)