President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the inspection Thursday of the P6.5-billion C3-R10 Section of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link Project, which is expected to decongest Metro Manila and prop up economic activity in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela (CAMANAVA).
In his speech during the inspection, the President said improved mobility indicates progress in society.
“Let me assure you that this administration will continue to pursue road infrastructure development throughout the country to improve the productive capacity of our economy, create more jobs and higher incomes, and strengthen our investment climate for sustainable growth,” he said.
“As we pursue the objectives of the Build, Build, Build Program, I ask everyone to do their part in our shared task of nation-building,” he further said.
Calling for unity, the President said that all Filipinos must benefit from the gains of the government’s development efforts and no one should be left behind on the path to progress.
The 2.6-kilometer project, which extends from Circumferential Road 3 in Caloocan to Radial Road 10 in Navotas, will connect to the 5.65-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 at the Caloocan Interchange.
It will directly link the Port Area of Manila to the northern provinces of Luzon via NLEX and is expected to benefit more than 30,000 motorists a day.
The project will decongest Metro Manila by providing direct access to NLEX without the need to traverse EDSA or the Balintawak Toll Plaza.
The travel time from Port Area and NLEX will be shortened from the usual one hour to 10 minutes, fast-tracking cargo movement.
Proponents said the new access road will not only stimulate commerce and lead to greater development in CAMANAVA, but will also reduce the incidence of road accidents due to better roads and improved traffic management control.
President Duterte also acknowledged the efforts of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and NLEX Corp. for the timely completion of the project.
At the same time, the President recognized the contributions of local government officials and the people of Malabon, Navotas and Caloocan for their unfaltering support for the project.
The C3-R10 Section will feature stone mastic asphalt surfacing, computerized toll collection and 24/7 traffic management systems, emergency parking areas with emergency call boxes, variable message signs, and closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV).
Roadway lighting and weighing stations for commercial vehicles will also be installed in the elevated expressway.