By Betheena Kae Unite
The elevated expressway that links Caloocan, Valenzuela, and Navotas to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) is expected to be completed within the year, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said today.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar together with Department of Transportation Secretary Art Tugade led the inspection on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 of NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 which covers the 5.58 kilometer 6-lane road from McArhur Highway to Valenzuela City to Circumferential R 3 (C-3) Caloocan City and a 2.6-kilometer 4-lane elevated road from C-3 Road, Caloocan City to R-10, Navotas City for completion this 2018. (Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin)
Villar announced during the launch of Build, Build, Build’s online job site -- “Jobs, Jobs,Jobs” -- that the agency is eyeing to finish the construction of the 8.25-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 by the third quarter of the year.
He also said they are planning to partially open the elevated expressway by the President’s State of the Nation Address however details are still being discussed.
“We are doing our best for the timely completion of Segment 10 that will significantly improve the movement of cargo from the Port of Manila by providing a direct connection between R10 and NLEX and decongest Metro Manila roads by providing direct access to NLEX without passing through EDSA or the Balintawak Toll Plaza,” Villar said.
NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is an 8.25-kilometer segment, covering 6-lane road from McArthur Highway to Valenzuela City to Circumferential Road 3 (C-3), Caloocan City, which will likewise improve movement of cargo between NLEX and Radial Road 10.
Completing the segment is a four-lane elevated road from C-3 Road, Caloocan City to R-10, Navotas City.
The elevated expressway is seen to help decongest the heart of Metro Manila which will provide access to NLEX without passing through EDSA or the Balintawak Toll Plaza. Using this expressway, travel time from Valenzuela City to C-3 Caloocan City will be reduced from more than one hour to only five minutes.
It is expected to benefit around 30,000 motorists per day.
Further, Villar said another 8.35-kilometer portion under Segment 8.2 will be constructed to complete the entire NLEX Harbor Link Project which is a 21.65-km toll road extension of NLEX from Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City to the C-3 in Caloocan City and to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
Segment 8.2 involves the construction of a four-lane road from Segment 8.1 at Mindanao Avenue to Republic Avenue turning right to Luzon Avenue up to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Its construction will start in 2019 or earlier pending road right-of-way acquisition.
The NLEX Harbor Link Project is being implemented by concessionaire Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) under the supervision of Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), with road right-of-way (RROW) acquisition under the DPWH.
Meanwhile, ongoing survey of affected properties is underway for the NLEX Connector, an 8-kilometer elevated expressway project to be built above the existing PNR tracks from the C3/5th Avenue Interchange in Caloocan City to PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila.
It is projected to be completed in 2020 and provide motorists another option aside from EDSA. It is expected to reduce travel time between NLEX and South Luzon Expressway from two hours to only 20 minutes.