The Nasugbu-Bauan Expressway project signed and given the green light by SMC

The San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has approved and signed the Nasugbu-Bauan Expresway (NBEX) project. This is on top of the Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX), and the Cavite-Batangas Expressway (CBEX) projects that the company will be undertaking in the next few years. Yet another toll road will rise in the Southern Tagalog region on top of all the others, further enhancing the accessibility of the rest of the region south of Metro Manila. 

Once up and running, NBEX will serve as a faster route and connection between the East and West parts of the province of Batangas. In a bid to create a comprehensive and extensive highway system in the far south of Metro Manila, Ramon Ang signed the contract for SMC to take the project. 

Everything was made official after the Batangas provincial government granted SMC Infrastructure a 35-year concession to design, build, operate, and maintain the soon-to-rise expressway. According to the agreement that was signed, NBEX will have four lanes and span a total of 61 kilometers to connect Nasugbu and Bauan. The agreement that was signed is filed as a joint venture between SMC and the provincial government unit. 

NBEX will cover a number of cities and towns between Nasugbu and Bauan. Once completed, the expressway will have exits and entrances in Nagsugbu, Balayan, Lemery, Bauan, and the City of Calaca among many others. 

Estimates suggest that the new 61-kilometer expressway will be able to cut travel time by half between Nasugbu and Bauan. Without it, motorists will have to drive one and a half hours, but with it, we could see travel times of just 45 minutes end-to-end once completed. The expressway will also benefit people coming from Metro Manila, as the travel time can be as little as two hours. 

The expressway will also be interconnected with the other SMC projects, namely CBEX. Four sections are planned with a 10.78-km segment from Barangay Kaylaway to Barangay Banilad, a 13.03-km segment from Barangay Banilad to Balayan, a 16.3-km segment from Balayan to Lemery, and a 20.79-km segment from Lemery to Bauan. 

According to Ramon Ang, a majority of NBEX is expected to be completed in 48 months, or about four years. The first 12 months will be dedicated to the project planning and engineering.