Stakeholders look forward to faster, more effective mobility provided by NLEX Connector

MANILA: Stakeholders have continued to support the NLEX Connector after being given a tour of the first five kilometers of the project.

The stakeholders had a firsthand experience of the safe and convenient trip that motorists would enjoy on the new expressway.

National and local government officials, journalists, travel enthusiasts, infrastructure and lifestyle vloggers, and selected transport groups toured the NLEX Connector España segment between the Caloocan and España interchanges, getting them excited for the new expressway's completion.

Senator Mark Villar expressed his support for the project that was initiated during his term as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary.

“Nakakatuwang isipin na malapit na matapos ang dating pinapangarap lang natin. Malaking tulong ito sa bawat mamamayang Pilipino (It is gladdening to think that what we used to only dream about is about to be accomplished. This is a great help to every Filipino citizen),” Senator Villar said.

“Ang mga infrastructure project gaya ng NLEX Connector ay makakatulong upang mapalago ang ating ekonomiya lalo na dito sa Maynila dahil mas magiging accessible pa ang ating lungsod sa mga investor at motorista. Isa rin itong patunay na maraming nagagawa ang pagtutulungan ng pamahalaan at iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan (Infrastructure projects such as the NLEX Connector will help grow our economy especially here in Manila because our city will be more accessible to investors and motorists. This is also proof that cooperation between the government and different sectors of society can accomplish a lot),” Manila Mayor Maria Sheilah Lacuna-Pangan stated.

Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan discussed the project's benefits for travel and his commitment to advancing infrastructure, saying, “Malaking kabawasan po sa oras ng byahe at kaginhawaan sa ating mga kalsada ang inaasahan natin sa oras na magbukas po ang NLEX Connector Road project. Nananatili pong kaisa ang ating tanggapan ng pribadong sektor sa pagpapaunlad ng mga imprastraktura at daanan (We expect a great reduction in travel time and comfort on our roads once the NLEX Connector Road project opens. Our office remains united with the private sector in the development of infrastructure and roads).”

Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO) and Haulers and Truckers Association in the Watersouth Inc. (HATAW) officers also lauded this new road project, which will give truckers 24/7 access and improve the delivery of products between Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Travel enthusiasts like Jayvee Manabat of Travel ni Bes are looking forward to more opportunities to use this state-of-the-art elevated road, which will make it easier and faster to access tourist destinations. Jameson Yeung, a regular user of the NLEX, even thought that the elevated expressway is very helpful for his job.

“Malaking tulong sa aking trabaho bilang CCTV service tech ang pagbubukas ng NLEX Connector. Hindi masasayang ang oras sa pagpila sa traffic at mas madali kong maiikutan ang clients ko (The opening of the NLEX Connector is a big help in my work as a CCTV service tech. I will not have to waste time queuing in traffic and I can turn my clients around more easily),” Yeung said.

The NLEX Connector, which is now 94% complete, aims to improve accessibility between airports and seaports as well as strengthen the supply chain and logistics industries as it travels along C3 Road, Blumentritt, Dimasalang, España Boulevard, R. Magsaysay Boulevard, and up to the vicinity of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Santa Mesa, Manila.

According to NLEX President and General Manager J. Luigi Bautista, the team is ensuring that construction activities are completed on time so that the road may be made accessible to the public.

The NLEX Connector, a project of DPWH and NLEX Corporation, is a public-private partnership that is aimed at reducing traffic in Metro Manila by diverting trucks from the heavy traffic congestions of the region and giving access to several locations, including the University Belt.

Light posts have already been installed on the said segment, and pavement markings and stone mastic asphalt have already been applied. Additional safety features are being placed, and traffic management devices are being integrated with the NLEX system.

NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road division of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).

Photos from NLEX Corporation

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