DPWH presents proposed ICAEx project

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Officials of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Service of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) led by Director Alex G. Bote presented to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. the proposed Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway Project (ICAEx) on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

Bote said the project is included in the list of priority projects proposed for implementation through PPP in accordance with RA No. 7718 (BOT Law).

ICAEx is proposed to be a full-access controlled toll expressway with four lanes composed of elevated roadways, viaducts, a tunnel and a long-span bridge. It has an estimated length of 210 kilometers, traversing 20 municipalities along three provinces (Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan) on Panay Island.

Based on the initial information, the ICAEx will start at Brgy. M.V. Hechanova in Leganes which is strategically located near the approach of the proposed Panay-Guimaras Bridge, a component of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge Project. The expressway will end in Malay, Aklan the which is the gateway to the world-renowned Boracay Island.

Based on Bote’s presentation, ICAEx has the following project objectives:

– Reduction of travel time between the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan.

– Elimination of congestion in existing highways by avoiding chokepoints in poblacion areas.

– Enhancement of logistics network to ease delivery of goods from source to destination.

– Improvement of delivery of emergency response in times of flooding as an effect of inclement weather.

– Provision of tourism development opportunities for various tourist attractions in Panay.

Bote said, at present they are finalizing the Terms of Reference (TOR) and Estimated Budget for the Contract (EBC) of the project.

Based on the timeline, it will take two years before the project could begin granting that an investor or concessionaire takes the project.

Bote noted that the investor or concessionaire will determine if the project is economically and financially viable on their part.

Gov. Defensor expressed high hopes that the project will materialize as it will further boost economic development not only in Iloilo province but in the entire Panay island.

He thanked the DPWH PPP Service for prioritizing the ICAEx and he assured full support to the implementation of the proposed project. (Erly Garcia/ Capitol News)