NEWS

By Betheena Unite | Manila BUlletin | Published June 22, 2021, 4:27 PM

The opening of the España Avenue interchange of the North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) Connector is expected to happen before the end of the year, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar bared on Tuesday, June 22.

Photo: DPWH

“Ang target po namin is ma-deliver up to España bago matapos ang taon (Our target is to deliver the project up to España before the year ends),” Villar said, adding that 80 percent of the project’s site possession has been secured.

The NLEX-SLEX Connector is an eight-kilometer (km) elevated toll expressway extending the NLEX southward from the end of Segment 10 in C3 Road in Caloocan City to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

It will also be connected to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, mostly traversing along the Philippine National Railways (PNR) rail track.

It includes two interchanges located along C3 Road/5th Avenue in Caloocan and España Avenue in Manila.

“Once this is completed, it will serve as a bypass road for EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue). This will decongest traffic in EDSA and will provide an alternate route for trucks coming from Manila ports to NLEX,” Villar said during an inspection.

Photo: DPWH

The expressway will also provide a solution to truck ban problems as it will be a direct access to Manila ports and airports in Pasay and Clark.

It is expected to reduce the usual two-hour travel time from SLEX to NLEX to only 20 minutes as well as cut travel time from Clark to Calamba from approximately three hours to just one hour and 40 minutes.

It is seen to benefit at least 35,000 motorists per day. Its construction began in 2019.

Source: Manila Bulletin