The construction of the 12-kilometer Lapu-Lapu Expressway (LLEX), the first expressway in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, is set to begin next year. This was confirmed by Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) president, Allan Alfon, on September 27.
The LLEX project will be developed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with no financial burden on the Lapu-Lapu City government. The project will involve key players, including the MVP Group and Premium Megastructure Inc., with a joint investment to be formalized in a board meeting on September 30. The estimated cost of the expressway is USD 156.5 million (PHP 9 billion), pending final design and value engineering reviews aimed at reducing costs.
Once construction begins, the project is expected to take two and a half years to complete. Upon completion, the expressway will reduce travel time between Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City from 35 minutes to just 12 minutes, alleviating traffic congestion and promoting economic growth in Lapu-Lapu City.
The LLEX will provide an additional route to Mactan International Airport and connect to the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). The private partners will operate and maintain the expressway for 35 years, with the city government receiving a share of toll fees and commercial revenues generated from the project.
(Source: Philippine Star)