JICA-Assisted Central Luzon Link Expressway

Sector
Highway
Project Type
Expressway Construction
Project Title
JICA-Assisted Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Project (Phase I)
Location
Tarlac, Nueva Ecija Provinces, Central Luzon, Philippines
Client
Department of Public Works and Highways
Project Period
September 2013 – Present
Aerial 3D image of Tarlac Interchange connecting CLLEX with Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway (SCTEX) and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).
Aerial photos of a town and rice field
submerged in water in Central Luzon
swamped by the heavy rains of Typhoon
in 2011. Northern Luzon Command
Problems addressed by the Project
In Central Luzon of the Philippines, the Pan-Philippine Highway is one of the major north-south directional trunk
national road linking between Metro Manila and Central/North Luzon. The traffic congestion on the Pan-Philippine
Highway has reached critical levels and needs to be resolved at the earliest possible time by constructing an
alternate route. The Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Project will provide motorists a smooth and faster
route from Metro Manila to Cabanatuan through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway (SCTEX). CLLEX will also improve access between the two north large cities (Tarlac and Cabanatuan),
and will support industrialization of the northern part of Mega Manila. Central Luzon is expected to increase its
efficiency as an industrial hub with Clark Airport receiving international flights.
Service Provided
OC Global conducted feasibility study for CLLEX project, namely JICA-assisted Preparatory Survey for
Expressway Projects in Mega Manila Region, in 2011. We provided the consulting services for detailed design and
tender assistance for this project from September 2013 through to 2015.
Actual Project Works
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Expressway Length
Number of Lanes
Design Speed
Interchanges
Major Structures
: 30.0 km (Phase I)
: 4-lane divided
: 100 km/h (expressway), 40 km/h (interchange ramp ways)
: 4 trumpet-type interchanges and 1 service area with smart interchange
: 5 underpass bridges, 4 overpass bridges, 2 river bridges, 19 box culverts for
roadway, 21 box culverts for farm passage, 24 box culverts for equalizer and 56
box culverts for irrigation/drainage
Issues, Concerns and Challenges
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Minimizing the effects on flooding: 15 km of the section passes through flood prone area and the average
flood level is about 4 m above existing ground level. Based on the inundation analysis conducted during this
D/D, construction of 1.5 km of viaduct and 24 RCBCs for water level equalizer are proposed and designed.
Soft ground treatment and liquefaction: The project site is located in a flat terrain (rice field) so that the
majority of the section is designed as embankment. In order to accelerate the consolidation settlement of the
embankment, pre-loading with vertical drain is proposed and designed. Also, replacement of existing material
with gravel or sand is proposed and designed as soft ground treatment. There are few sections having a
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liquefiable sand layer so that sand compaction pile is proposed and designed under structures.
Countermeasure against liquefaction for highway project is the first time in the Philippines.
Newly Introduction of Porous Asphalt: JICA proposed and DPWH accepted to study the application of
porous asphalt as a pilot scheme (1 km section). Effects of new type of pavement, its design life, material
requirement, construction method, maintenance requirements, economic impact and environmental impacts
(particularly noise) will be tested for expressway for the first time in the Philippines.