It’s a go for LLEX, the first skyway in Visayas and Mindanao

Local

LAPU-LAPU City is gearing up for a significant infrastructure development with the construction of the Lapu-Lapu Expressway (LLEX), which aims to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance access to key areas such as the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Mayor Junard "Ahong" Chan in a press conference on Friday, September 27, emphasized that the project would bring both transportation improvements and economic benefits to the city.

Spanning 12 kilometers, the LLEX will become the first skyway in Visayas and Mindanao, reducing travel time between Cebu City and the airport to just 12-15 minutes.

The project, with an estimated cost of P8-9 billion, is expected to start construction before the 2025 elections and will take two to three years to complete.

Allan Go Alfon, President and General Manager of Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), explained that the project’s initial cost of P25 billion had been reduced to make toll fees more affordable for motorists.

He added that the project, operating under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, would generate economic returns of P66.5 billion over the next 50 years without placing a financial burden on the government.

Chan highlighted that the city would benefit from toll revenues, receiving one percent for the first 15 years, 1.5 percent for the next decade, and two percent for the final 10 years of the 35-year operational period.

Additionally, Lapu-Lapu City will earn 40 percent of the revenue from commercial activities like advertising and utility services along the expressway.

The LLEX, designed with four lanes, will connect the Pilipog Bridge to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, passing through important areas such as the Mactan Economic Zone and several barangays including Pajac, Buaya, Bankal, Ibo, and Pusok.

The expressway is expected to accommodate around 50,000 vehicles daily, helping to ease traffic in Lapu-Lapu City.

The first phase of the project, which includes acquiring road rights of way, is budgeted at P7 billion.

Chan assured residents that fewer than 10 homes in Barangay Basak would be relocated, and the city is already working on providing a suitable relocation site. No commercial establishments will be displaced by the construction.

The city is set to finalize the details in early October with the signing of a formal memorandum of agreement, signaling the official start of the project.

Construction will proceed in phases, beginning with the aviation road to enable partial use of the expressway while the second phase continues.

Once completed, the LLEX will connect with the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, the country's longest bridge enhancing connectivity between Cebu City and the airport and contributing to economic growth across Lapu-Lapu City and its surrounding areas.(MyTVCebu)