NLEX sees 7% increase in traffic volume this year

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Pacific Investments Corp. unit NLEX Corp., the concessionaire for the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), expects sustained increase in traffic volume this year on the back of road expansion and upgrades.

NLEX president and general manager Luigi Bautista said the company is looking at a seven percent jump in traffic volume across the NLEX and SCTEX network this year.

“Our projection is around seven percent increase this year. Hopefully, it will ramp up once the entire road is opened,” Bautista said, referring to the entire 2.6-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section which is scheduled for completion next month.

Last year, Bautista said the company’s average daily traffic across its toll network reached 340,000, with NLEX hitting 270,000 and SCTEX at 70,000.

NLEX last week opened the Malabon Exit of the Harbor Link C3-R10 Section.

The entire section, which is targeted to open next month, starts from Caloocan Interchange, C3 Road, Caloocan City to Radial Road 10, Navotas City, connecting to the previously opened 5.65-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 that passes through Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and 5th Avenue/C3 Road, Caloocan City.

About 30,000 motorists per day is expected to benefit once the entire Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is fully completed.

Meanwhile, the tollways company is set to complete by May the replacement of old and installation of additional road signs on both the northbound and southbound directions of NLEX-SCTEX for improved visual navigation.

It is also set to complete this month the replacement of 1,078 interchange and median LED lighting from NLEX Balintawak to Tabang as part of efforts to promote road safety.

NLEX and SCTEX are part of the portfolio of projects of MPTC, the tollways arm of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investment Corp.