Section 1 of the North Luzon Expressway – South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) Connector Road is expected to open on March 27, 2023. Current construction progress for this structure stands at 98 percent completion, and finishing touches are being applied.
Section 1 of the NLEX-SLEX Connector to open on March
With this 5-kilometer-long portion of the connector road open, motorists coming from the Caloocan portion of NLEX will have a seamless path directly toward España Boulevard in the City of Manila.
Ahead of its opening, the said section of the NLEX-SLEX Connector was given an inspection. Present during the event were Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) President Rodrigo Franco.
According to DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, its opening can help reduce traffic in Metro Manila. Bautista likewise sees this new road as a key to enhancing economic growth. It will also provide more convenience not just for motorists, but also commuters.
DPWH Secretary Bonoan added that the España Section’s opening will contribute towards decongesting vehicular traffic, particularly in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela. This will also be helpful during the coming Holy Week in April 2023 as we typically see heavy traffic flow on expressways during this season.
Officials and executives pose at the nearly completed NLEX-SLEX Connector Section 1
Bonoan also shared that the next NLEX-SLEX Connector section that’s being worked on is the one stretching from España to Sta. Mesa. It is now being fast-tracked, and it is expected to function as an alternate route for large trucks that are coming from the south. It can likewise create a more convenient link between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport.
Note that the NLEX-SLEX Connector project costs Php 23.3 billion. It is a joint project between DOTr, DPWH, NLEX Corporation, MPTC, and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB). Once completed, it will span eight kilometers and it will feature four elevated lanes. It can then handle up to 35,000 vehicles every day.
The completed NLEX-SLEX Connector then stretches from the end of Segment 10 in the C3 road, up to Sta. Mesa, Manila City. It will likewise have on and off-ramps at C3, España Blvd., and on Ramon Magsaysay Blvd.
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