The NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10, a traffic game changer that will drastically cut travel time from Port Area to North Luzon Expressway, is set to open to motorists in a few days, the Public Works Department said Tuesday.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said once NLEx Harbor Link was opened, “around 30,000 vehicles daily will be diverted away from busy roads in Metro Manila.”
“The NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 will be a traffic game changer since this will drastically cut travel time from Port Area to NLEx,” the agency said.
Villar, together with Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. president Rodrigo Franco and NLEX Corp. president Luigi Bautista, will conduct a dry-run on Wednesday for the opening of the NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 from Karuhatan, Valenzuela City to the new Caloocan Interchange on C3 Road, Caloocan City.
NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 is composed of the 5.65-km elevated expressway traversing North Luzon Expressway from MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, passing through Malabon City and C3 Road, Caloocan City and the 2.6-km section between C3 Road, Caloocan City and R10, Navotas City.
The elevated expressway will reduce the travel time from NLEx Valenzuela City to R10 from 23 minutes to just 11 minutes via Balintawak-Edsa Monumento and from 26 minutes to just 13 minutes via Balintawak to A. Bonifacio/C3 Road.
Villar said that with the reduced travel time, motorists would gain significant savings in vehicle operating costs and increase their productivity as they would not need to go through heavy traffic.
Set for opening in a few days, the new segment is envisioned to alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Manila as it will serve as an alternate corridor for motorists traveling from Central and North Luzon provinces, Valenzuela City and Quezon City to Manila.
“In a recent Jica [Japan International Cooperation Study] study, traffic congestion in Metro Manila is costing 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.
With the direct and quick access between NLEx and Manila Port, NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 is being eyed to provide direct access for commercial vehicles, especially heavy trucks.
Villar said truckers and freight forwarders were expected to greatly benefit from the elevated expressway as they would be spared from the truck ban, translating into faster delivery of goods to and from the provinces.
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 in nearby communities such as generation of employment and increase in land values.”
Franco said, “Metro Pacific remains committed to supporting the government in its infrastructure projects to improve accessibility between airports, seaports, and growth corridors in both the north and south.”