Truckers welcome the government’s commitment to speed up construction of the 2.6-kilometer Radial Road 10 (R10) section of NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, saying this will hasten transport of goods to areas north of Manila.
Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) chairman Rupert Bayocot, in a statement, expressed full support for the project as a welcome development that “will certainly make a positive impact on trucking companies and their clients.”
The NLEX Harbor Link’s R10 section is seen to advance transport logistics and facilitate efficient delivery of goods by providing a direct and quick access between North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Manila Port.
Project concessionaire NLEX Corporation and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently held a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction for the R10 section. The section continues from the 5.7-kilometer Segment 10, an elevated expressway traversing MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and C3 Road/5th Avenue in Caloocan City.
The R10 project is set to be completed by December 2018.
“We’re glad this project is becoming a reality. Extending NLEX to R10 will be a big help to our business. The direct routes between provinces in Central and North Luzon and the CAMANAVA [Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela] area will make transport of goods easier and faster,” CTAP president and Manila North Harbor Truckers Association president Mario Yap said.
Manuel Dennis Carlos, president of Phil. Hattori Construction and Development Corp., noted that NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 will enable drivers to meet the delivery cut-off time of clients and further ensure that products arrive in good condition.
“It will improve our turnaround time for deliveries not only within Metro Manila but also in the northern provinces,” said Carlos, adding that “trucks can just use the expressway to go in and out of the port area, decongesting major roads such as EDSA and C5.”
“Aside from allowing reduced travel time, infrastructure developments like this will aid us in expanding our market reach and provide quality service to our clients,” he said.
According to NLEX Corp. president and chief executive officer Rodrigo Franco, Harbor Link Segment 10 is envisioned to alleviate traffic congestion and help truckers and private motorists reduce operating costs.
“Travel time is cut by half as the elevated roadway will allow an average speed of 80kph and will offer better road pavement and efficient traffic management,” Franco pointed out, highlighting that “once the Harbor Link is completed, travel time from Manila Port to NLEX and back will be just 10 minutes.”
Image courtesy of mapichai at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
