THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Corp. yesterday broke ground on the R-10 section of the NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10.
The R-10 is a 2.6-kilometer road that serves as the continuation of the 5.7-kilometer Segment 10, which is an elevated expressway passing through McArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and C3 Road/5th Avenue in Caloocan City.
Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) is the concessionaire for the project.
The project aims to provide direct access between the port area and provinces in northern and central Luzon. It is also designed to decongest Metro Manila by offering an alternative entry to NLEx without traversing Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and other major roads.
Construction began yesterday, and the project is expected to be completed by December 2018.
DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar, MNTC President and Chief Executive Officer Rodrigo Franco, and Malabon City Mayor Antolin Oreta III attended the ceremony. Navotas City Mayor John Reynald Tiangco sent a representative.
The R-10 section will have two new exits, the Navotas Interchange and Malabon Exit (at Dagat-Dagatan Avenue), said Mr. Franco. The R-10 will also be constructed alongside the upcoming North-South commuter rail system.
“It’s a short section, but very critical,” Mr. Franco said in his speech.
The project is expected to improve livelihoods and foster development in the CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area.
Mr. Villar said that the project, along with other infrastructure projects under the government’s big infrastructure, will improve road congestion in Metro Manila.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for our traffic problems in Metro Manila,” Mr. Villar said.
Mr. Villar cited the help of local chief executives, the mayors of the cities traversed by the new road, in fast-tracking acquisition of right-of-way.
“To hasten right-of-way, we need the support of local government (units). I’d like to thank our local governments, [the] mayors who have been dedicated to make sure our projects are completed at the soonest possible time,” Mr. Villar said in his address. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo
