Arroyo, Villar, Villanueva lead groundbreaking for PH Arena Interchange in Bulacan

(From left) Sen. Joel Villanueva, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and other local officials lead the groundbreaking for the Philippine Arena Interchange inside Ciudad De Victoria property of Iglesia Ni Cristo in Bocaue, Bulacan on Friday. (Carmela Reyes-Estrope)

BOCAUE, BULACAN ——  House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and Sen. Joel Villanueva on Friday led the groundbreaking for the Philippine Arena Interchange in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) here.

The expressway, which will cost P635 million, is expected to solve the perennial heavy traffic in the old single-lane Bocaue interchange.

The Philippine Arena Interchange is a four-lane road from Ciudad De Victoria property of Iglesia Ni Cristo along the northbound lane of NLEx that would connect to the Manila North Road (MacArthur Highway) via the Bocaue municipal building road in Barangay Igulot and via Sta. Maria-Bocaue Bypass Road.

Villar said the project would address the queuing of vehicles in Bocaue interchange heading to Bocaue and Sta. Maria towns.

The project is an infrastructure support and catalyst to further boost economic activities and industrialization in the region, the officials said.

Arroyo hailed the project as part of the country’s Tourism Estate, which was conceptualized during her term as former Philippine president./lzb