The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link Segment 10, the elevated expressway that traverses the cities of Valenzuela, Malabon, and Caloocan, will be opened to the public on February 26, according to Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.
“The NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 will be a traffic game changer since this will drastically cut travel time from port area to NLEX,” Villar said in a statement. Earlier, he said travel time between C3 and NLEX will take approximately 10 minutes once the link opens.
The 5.65-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 aims to improve accessibility and connectivity between key areas of Metro Manila and the northern provinces of Luzon via NLEX.
Villar added that once the segment is opened, around 30,000 vehicles will be diverted away from busy roads in Metro Manila daily.
And with the reduction in travel time, motorists will gain significant savings in vehicle operating costs and increase their productivity as they need not go through heavy traffic.
“In a recent JICA [Japan International Cooperation Agency] study, traffic congestion in Metro Manila is [estimated to cost] the country P3.5 billion a day. This new road will be a big boost to our economy as billions of pesos will be saved annually with the improved travel time,” Villar said.
Segment 10 is being eyed to provide commercial vehicles, especially trucks, direct and quick access between NLEX and Manila Port. Villar said truckers and freight forwarders are expected to greatly benefit from the elevated expressway since cargo trucks will be spared from the truck ban, allowing for faster delivery of goods to and from the provinces.
READ: NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 set to open this month
Project concessionaire NLEX Corp. president and general manager Luigi Bautista said that “aside from connecting NLEX to key areas in Metro Manila, the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is seen to bring more opportunities [to] nearby communities such as generation of employment and increase in land values.”
