The Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), builder and concessionaire of NLEX, opened the new northbound lanes at NLEX Segment 3 or the Dau to Sta. Ines areas here today (Friday) to better accommodate the expected surge of holiday travelers.
The former one-by-one lane areas at the NLEX Segment 3 are now widened to become two lanes on both northbound and southbound directions.
MNTC president and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco said the new segment is a P235 million expansion project that includes the construction of new northbound bridges at Balem and Quitanguil while the Segment 2 road widening project costs P2.2 billion which expands the two-lane portion between Sta. Rita and San Fernando to three lanes in each direction. Segment 2 is set to be completed before the year ends, he added.
NLEX Segments 2 and 3 are the areas where queues of vehicles usually accumulate particularly during holidays when numerous motorists leave Metro Manila for northern destinations.
Present during the drive-through opening at the Mabalacat Plaza were Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales, Vice Mayor Christian Halili, Franco and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) executive director Abraham P. Sales. Joining them were MNTC executive Raul L. Ignacio, Romulo S. Quimbo as well as Coach Yeng Guiao and his NLEX Road Warriors.
