Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) together with offials of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) announced that the first 2-week operation of the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link Segment 10 in Karuhatan, Valenzuela, scheduled for public usage this coming February 26 will be free for all types of vehicles .
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar with MPTC and NLEX officials on Wednesday morning conducted a final inspection on the 5.65-kilometer of said harbor link from Valenzuela City to the new Caloocan Interchange in C3 Road, Caloocan City.
With the soon to open new segment, it is invisioned to alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Manila as it will serve as an alternate corridor for motorists travelling from nearest provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and the entire Central and North Luzon provinces, Valenzuela City, Quezon City to Manila, Villar said.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar inspects one of the Emergency Call Box inside the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 during their final inspection held on Wednesday. Photo by: ERICK SILVERIO
The first 2 weeks operation will be free for all types of vehicles wherein around 30,000 vehicles are expected to benefit the new NLEX road, DPWH secretary said.
“This will be a traffic game changer since this will reduce travel time from C3 to NLEX from more than an hour to just 10 minutes,” Villar said.
It was learned that from 30,000 vehicles expected to benefit daily from the said new elevated NLEX road connecting to Smart Connect Clover Leaf in Karuhatan, 10,000 of it were mostly heavy container trucks.
NLEX Corporation President and General Manager Luigi Bautista cited that with the direct and quick access between NLEX and Manila Port, the said project is being eyed to provide direct access for commercial vehicles particularly heavy trucks.
Cargo trucks from port area will no longer traverse in C-3 Road to A. Bonifacio Road going Balintawak clover leaf which will definitely decongest the traffic in Edsa, villar added.
The construction of said harbor link segment 10 was started in 2014 wherein the next phase project is the 2.6-km section from C3 Road in Caloocan City to R10 in Navotas which will be finished by the end of 2019.