A joint venture led by Nippon Koei Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Integrated Design & Engineering Holdings Co Ltd (ID&E), has secured a consulting services contract for the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project in the Philippines.
The Pan-Philippine Highway (PPH), dubbed the country’s largest north-south highway network, is a major artery in northern Luzon. The approximately 60-km mountainous section of the existing national highway crossing Dalton Pass serves as a key transportation and logistics corridor connecting northern Luzon and the Manila Metropolitan Area. However, this section is prone to natural disasters.
After the 1990 Baguio earthquake, the section was closed to traffic for approximately six months. Typhoons have also frequently triggered landslides and traffic disruptions. Furthermore, the terrain, with its succession of steep gradients and sharp curves, presents challenges to securing both safe driving conditions and smooth traffic flow. For this reason, the development of an alternative road is needed to ensure a stable and efficient transportation and logistics network.
The Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project is located in Nueva Vizcaya province in Region II (Cagayan Valley) and Nueva Ecija province in Region III (Central Luzon). Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as an official development assistance (ODA) project, it will involve the construction of a new bypass road, including tunnels, on the eastern side of the existing mountain highway crossing Dalton Pass.
Commissioned by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Nippon Koei and its JV partners will provide detailed design and construction supervision services for the 23-km, four-lane highway, including two mountain tunnels and bridges, as well as transaction advisory services to facilitate the implementation of a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme for infrastructure operations, maintenance and management.
Another ID&E Group company, Nippon Koei Energy Solutions Co Ltd, will provide services related to basic design and construction supervision of electrical, mechanical and communications equipment, such as a road traffic control centre, as well as their operation, maintenance and management. Meanwhile, Philkoei International Inc, a subsidiary in the Philippines that will be involved in this project as a cooperating company, will contribute by dispatching Filipino engineers, who are familiar with local natural conditions and design standards.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2033. Once operational, daily traffic volume is projected to increase by about 1.7 times, while the average travel speed is expected to double. This will enhance the resilience of transportation infrastructure and improve mobility efficiency, thereby strengthening interregional connectivity and revitalising local economies.
Members of the joint venture comprise Nippon Koei Co Ltd (lead), Nippon Koei Energy Solutions Co Ltd, Katahira & Engineers International, Dia Nippon Engineering Consultants Co Ltd, Chodai Co Ltd, Metropolitan Expressway Co Ltd, and Oriental Consultants Global Co Ltd.
