NLEX Corp. on Thursday inaugurated a new section of the NLEX-C5 Northlink project ahead of the expected surge in traffic during the Undas holiday.
The newly opened two-kilometer Section 1A of Segment 8.2 connects Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the NLEX Mindanao Toll Plaza in Valenzuela City, providing motorists with an alternative route to major destinations in Metro Manila and northern Luzon.
The section is expected to ease traffic congestion along Mindanao Avenue and Quirino Highway while improving travel time, road safety, and convenience, particularly during peak travel periods.
With the opening, motorists coming from Quirino Highway can directly access the NLEX Connector for trips to Manila, the University Belt, and nearby cities, offering an alternative to EDSA.
Motorists heading north can use the new section to reach the NLEX Mindanao Toll Plaza and access the NLEX mainline toward Central Luzon, with onward connections to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) for travel to Northern Luzon.
The new section is expected to accommodate approximately 11,000 vehicles daily. It will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and cater to all vehicle classes, supporting the movement of people and goods as well as transport logistics and economic activity.
Section 1A forms part of the 11.3-kilometer NLEX-C5 Northlink Segment 8.2 project, which will extend from Mindanao Avenue to C5/C.P. Garcia near Katipunan Avenue.
Once completed, the project is expected to strengthen connectivity between northern and southern Luzon through the eastern side of Metro Manila, providing motorists with additional route options and helping improve traffic flow across the metropolis.
The NLEX-C5 Northlink is a public-private partnership project, with the Toll Regulatory Board serving as the government grantor and NLEX Corp., a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., as the private concessionaire.