Dagat-Dagatan Ramp of NLEX Harbor Link to open in January

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar announced the opening of the Dagat-Dagatan Ramp of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link after conducting a progress inspection of the ongoing construction of the 2.6-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link (R10 Section) and the 8-km NLEX Connector elevated expressways in the Caloocan-MalabonNavotas-Valenzuela (Camanava) area.

“We are committed to fully opening this January the new off-ramp that will bring motorists directly from NLEX to DagatDagatan in Malabon City,” Villar noted.

“24/7 construction will be undertaken to complete the 2.6-kilometer section which stretches west from the new Caloocan Interchange to Radial Road 10,” he added.

The Harbor Link is intended to facilitate direct access between the port area and North and Central Luzon via the NLEX. Motorists, especially those in the commercial trucking sector, will enjoy a hassle-free elevated expressway alternative to the choke points of EDSA Balintawak, A. Bonifacio and C3/5th Avenue. It is also envisioned for truckers who will be spared from the truck ban and subsequently experience quicker turn around.

Villar, together with NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista, also witnessed the full blast foundation works of the first five-kilometer section of the NLEX Connector expressway at the new Caloocan Interchange.

This section will extend to the future Sampaloc Interchange near España Boulevard, Manila.

“Working on the bored pile foundation is a delicate part of the construction process. A systematic laying of the foundation is being carefully and precisely engineered to prevent mounting traffic and ensure safety in the construction area,” Bautista pointed out.

A total of 223 piers will be built to support the all-weather, all-vehicle NLEX Connector which will eventually interconnect with the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

“Upon completion of the NLEX Connector, travel time from NLEX to SLEX will be reduced from the usual two hours to approximately 20 minutes,” Villar noted.

The elevated, four-lane divided carriageway NLEX Connector will feature two interchanges and four toll plazas running above the Philippine National Railway lines.

The PNR right-of-way is being shared by the NLEX Connector and the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which is also under construction.