NLEX sees Northlink section completed by June

NLEX Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), expects to complete Section 1A of the NLEX-C5 Northlink Segment 8.2 by June, with operations set to begin in September.

“In terms of completion we are 60% for the construction completion, hopefully by June this year, we will complete that segment,” NLEX President and General Manager Luis S. Reñon told reporters last week.

Mr. Reñon added that construction of its extension is now under discussion.

“Afterwards, we will request from the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) the next part,” he said, referring to the extension from Mindanao Avenue to Congressional Avenue.

The extension is expected to cost more than Section 1A, he said, due to the right-of-way rather than the construction cost itself.

NLEX is also the builder-concessionaire and operator of major expressways, including the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, and NLEX Connector.

Once completed, Section 1A will link the Mindanao Toll Plaza to Quirino Highway through an all-weather elevated expressway over Mindanao Avenue and the Tullahan River.

The elevated expressway will operate 24/7 for all vehicle classes, according to NLEX, adding that around 11,000 vehicles daily are expected to benefit, easing congestion along Quirino Highway and Mindanao Avenue.

The entire NLEX-C5 Northlink project spans 11.3 kilometers and serves as a vital corridor connecting the northern and southern parts of Luzon via eastern Metro Manila.

Last year, NLEX partnered with China Road and Bridge Corp. for the construction of Section 1A, which carries an overall cost of P2.2 billion.

MPTC is the tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose