MORE than 80,000 motorists have used and discovered the travel convenience brought by the new NLEX Connector Caloocan-España section since its opening in March, mostly citing the reduced travel time between C3 Road, Caloocan City and España, Manila from 30 to just five minutes.
Toll-free for a limited time, the new five-kilometer expressway has provided motorists with an alternative route, contributing to the ease of movement of people and goods from north to south, and vice versa. The new tollway is also expected to open more business opportunities in the areas it traverses.
“Tried the newly opened NLEX Connector and I felt very happy. My Manila emergency calls won’t be that stressful anymore,” Dr. Norman Galaxy Cabigas said in a tweet.
University professor Kevin De Jesus commended the shorter travel time, saying “thirty minutes na lang ang biyahe from Punturin, Valenzuela City to FEU.”
Office employee from Bulacan Angel Castillo said, “ang daan ko pa noon patungong Rizal Ave., Manila ay Balintawak, kaya medyo ma-traffic. Noong nagawa ang NLEX Connector, wala pang 20 minutes nasa Manila na ako. Kaya malaking tulong ito para sa aming mga motorista.”
Rhea Udaundo, also an employee from Bulacan, confirmed the reduced travel time. “I tried this newly opened Caloocan-España connection and truly 5 minutes nasa Maynila na…Saved time nakaiwas pa sa congestion sa R10,” she said.
On Facebook, HR executive Jennevie Ocampo mentioned the convenience of having a new route, saying “I am a frequent user of expressways because I accompany my eldest to UST before I go to work. Normal travel time is 55 mins via Skyway. With this Connector, it only took me 30 minutes going to work.”
NLEX Corporation President J. Luigi L. Bautista is pleased with the testimonials of the public on social media and news reports. “The comments we received from the motorists only prove that indeed NLEX Connector has been serving its purpose of increasing productivity as it helps ease the travel of motorists and commuters,” he said.
Supporting the government’s drive to accelerate economic activities by implementing infrastructure projects, NLEX Corporation invested in this new elevated road that is expected to provide faster and easier access to the University Belt and its surrounding areas and reduce congestion along España Boulevard, Abad Santos Avenue, Rizal Avenue, and Lacson Avenue in Manila.
Bautista said that with the opening of this expressway, it has become more possible for people residing in the North to commute to study or work in Metro Manila, adding that the company continues to collaborate with relevant agencies to further enhance traffic management and policies on nearby local roads of the NLEX Connector.
“The Metro Manila Council as well as the local governments of Manila and Caloocan have been supportive of our initiatives to alleviate the traffic in and out of the expressway system. We continue to work together to improve congested roads,” he cited.
NLEX is also ramping up the completion of the next three-kilometer section of NLEX Connector from España to Sta. Mesa. Construction progress of the said segment is at 46 percent.
The NLEX Connector is composed of two sections, the España and Sta Mesa sections. The operational España Section is between the Caloocan Interchange on C3 Road and España Blvd., while the under construction Sta Mesa Section traverses España Blvd. to R. Magsaysay Blvd., up to the vicinity of PUP in Sta. Mesa, Manila. The latter features on and off ramps in Magsaysay and Sta. Mesa.
Catering to all expressway vehicle classifications, the NLEX Connector aims to be a catalyst of growth as it increases worker efficiency and provides savings for motorists, commuters, and companies. It also boosts the local economy as the new road network plays a significant role in spurring business activities and unlocking land values.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).
