The Department of Public Works and Highways (DWPH) together with the North Luzon Expressways (NLEX) Corporation held a groundbreaking ceremony for the North Luzon Expressway Sta. Mesa Connector, located in the City of Manila. This marks the start of construction for the said project.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the NLEX Connector Sta. Mesa section
Present during the event was DPWH Secretary Roger Mercado, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) President and CEO Rodrigo Franco, NLEX Corp. President and General Manager Luigi Bautista, DPWH Undersecretary Catarina Cabral, Toll Regulatory Board Executive Director Alvin Carullo, Philippine National Railways (PNR) Assistant General Manager Ces Lauta, among others.
Besides the ground breaking ceremony, the event also involved the contract signing between NLEX Corp. and the China Road and Bridges Corporation (CRBC). As such, the CRBC General Manager Ren Xiaopeng was also present.
Of note, the aforementioned section of the NLEX Connector spans three kilometers. After it is finished, it will then complete the NLEX Connector, which itself spans eight kilometers in total. The project also consists of a 4-lane toll expressway, two interchanges at the C3 Road/5th Avenue, Caloocan, and Espana, Manila.
Once finished, the project will completely link NLEX with the South Luzon Expressway. It will also serve as an alternate route for all types of vehicles including cargo trucks, and so will further decongest Metro Manila traffic especially on main roads like C5 and EDSA.
Executives from DPWH, NLEX Corporation, CRBC and other entities during the contract signing
Moreover, MPTC President Rodrigo Franco says that the new elevated expressway might also serve to support the country’s economic recovery. He further states that once completed, it will provide better job opportunities because of the economic stimulation it will provide to its surrounding areas.
In total, the NLEX Connector costs Php 23.3 billion. According to NLEX Corp., the first five kilometers of the said tollway starting at the NLEX Harbor Link Caloocan Interchange leading to España is already 60 percent complete. The project in its entirety is then projected to be completed sometime in 2022.
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