It’s all systems go for the much-anticipated Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), touted to be the country’s first green, hybrid expressway, as proponent San Miguel Corporation (SMC), together with the government already broke ground for the 19.37-kilometer project.
The project, a PHP 95 billion (USD 1.9 billion) investment by SMC, will be a six-lane elevated expressway that will run along the banks of the river, from Radial Road 10 in Manila to C-6 Road or the South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) in Taguig. Once operational, PAREX will link the eastern and western cities of Metro Manila and will connect to the Skyway system – realizing the vision of an integrated elevated road network that will link the north, south, east, and west corridors of the capital.
According to SMC, PAREX will be built to accommodate more than just motor vehicles. Once completed, it will feature a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that will benefit commuters all over Metro Manila, who will then have a comfortable, safe, and reliable, alternative to commuting anywhere in the metro. The expressway will also have dedicated bike lanes to encourage healthy, environment-friendly modes of personal transportation, as well as pedestrian walkways to encourage walking or exercise.
SMC has reached out to local principal architect and urban planner Felino ‘Jun’ Palafox Jr. to introduce green architecture and green urbanism principles in SMC infrastructure projects.
Separate from the project itself, SMC is also undertaking a PHP 2 billion (USD 39.3 million) initiative to clean up and rehabilitate the Pasig River. Its goal is to extract some 3 million metric tons of silt and solid waste from the river, to improve the flow and carrying capacity of the river, in order to mitigate flooding. With the river rehab project, the river itself can then be safely used again as an alternative mode of transportation, utilizing watercraft or water ferries.
(Source: San Miguel Corp.)
