NLEX Karuhatan Interchange to Decongest Balintawak Traffic

The Karuhatan Interchange of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link Segment 10 is eyed to bolster productivity and deliver travel convenience.

NLEX Corporation President and General Manager Luigi Bautista said that motorists from MacArthur Highway, Valenzuela City and surrounding areas can now drive along via the new road to get to C3 in Caloocan City and vice versa.

"The new interchange, with entry and exit toll plazas, is expected to further decongest traffic at the Balintawak southbound since it will provide better access and improve connectivity of our expressways to and from the MacArthur Highway and other local roads," Bautista said.

Around 100,000 motor vehicles have been diverted to traverse to Manila by using the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 instead of using the Balintawak southbound lane.

The NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, opened last February 28, is the 5.65-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway traversing the cities of Valenzuela, Malabon, up to the new Caloocan Interchange in C3, Caloocan City.

It will also include the still-under-construction 2.6-kilometer section from C3 to R10, Navotas City.

The new road is said to cut the usual one-hour travel time between Karuhatan, Valenzuela City and C3 Road, Caloocan City to about 5 minutes.

A month after its opening, traffic volume at the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 has steadily risen, with more than 200,000 vehicles served from both northbound and southbound directions.

Further, Bautista said that they are targeting to finish the aforementioned C3-R10 section by year-end.

"We are rushing the completion of the C3-R10 section by December this year to immediately address the congestion being experienced in the area especially at peak hours," Bautista claimed.