(Photo courtesy of PCO)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday inaugurated a new section of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) connecting Quezon City and Valenzuela City, reducing travel time between the two areas from 40 minutes to just five minutes.
The President led the opening of the NLEX-C5 Northlink Segment 8.2 Section 1A ahead of the expected increase in vehicle traffic during the Undas holiday period.
Marcos announced that motorists could use the newly opened expressway section free of charge until the end of 2026.
“Ang ginagawa natin sa ibang lugar, sa ibang mga daanan, lahat iyan na bagong bukas, kaya pa naman, pinagbibigyan tayo, libre ang pagdaan dito ngayon hanggang the end of the year,” Marcos said.
The two-kilometer section connects Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the NLEX Mindanao Toll Plaza in Valenzuela City, providing motorists with a faster alternative route.
The new road will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, accommodate all vehicle classes and is expected to serve approximately 11,000 vehicles daily.
Motorists coming from Quirino Highway can use the new section to access the NLEX Connector, providing another route toward Manila, the University Belt and nearby cities while helping ease congestion along EDSA.
Northbound travelers can also reach the NLEX mainline through the Mindanao Toll Plaza, with connections to Central Luzon and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) for trips farther north.
Officials said the additional road link is expected to improve the movement of passengers and goods, support logistics operations and contribute to economic activity.
Section 1A forms part of the larger 11.3-kilometer NLEX-C5 Northlink Segment 8.2 project, which will eventually connect Mindanao Avenue to C5/C.P. Garcia near Katipunan Avenue.
Once completed, the entire project is expected to strengthen road connectivity between northern and southern Luzon through the eastern side of Metro Manila.
The NLEX-C5 Northlink is being developed under a public-private partnership arrangement between the government, represented by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), and NLEX Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC).
Joining Marcos during the inauguration were Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Public Works Secretary Giovanni Lopez, MPTC chairperson Manuel Pangilinan, MPTC president and chief executive officer Gilbert Santa Maria, NLEX Corporation president and general manager Luis Reñon, and TRB executive director Jayart Tugade.
During the event, Marcos also inspected the ongoing construction of Phase 1 of the Metro Manila Subway Project and received updates on its progress.
