Motorists traveling between Quezon City, western Metro Manila, and North and Central Luzon will soon have another route option, as the 2-kilometer NLEX-C5 Northlink section connecting Mindanao Avenue to Quirino Highway nears completion at 96%.

The elevated expressway is designed to provide an alternative to Mindanao Avenue, extending NLEX eastward to Quirino Highway. Once open, it will be equipped with CCTV cameras, speed management systems, RFID readers, and Neology antennas for toll collection. Roadway lighting, traffic signs, pavement markings, concrete barriers, and reflective safety devices will also be installed.

Construction is now focused on completing the concrete barriers and expansion joints along the mainline, finishing the eastbound and westbound ramps at Quirino Highway, and carrying out the remaining civil works ahead of opening.

NLEX Corporation expects the new section to accommodate all vehicle classes and serve around 11,000 vehicles daily. It will also provide motorists from Quirino Highway with direct access to NLEX-C5 Northlink, with onward connections to the NLEX Connector toward Manila, the University Belt, and Makati, or northbound toward Central and North Luzon.

“We want to give motorists greater freedom not only in how they travel, but also in how they spend their time and money. While fuel prices and other travel-related costs are beyond our control, we can provide reliable road infrastructure that helps people reach their destinations more efficiently. That is the value we aim to deliver through this project,” said NLEX president & general manager Luis S. Reñon.

The two-kilometer Segment 8.2 Section 1A forms part of the 11.3-kilometer NLEX-C5 Northlink Project, which is planned to connect Mindanao Avenue to C5/C.P. Garcia near Katipunan Avenue. The larger project is intended to strengthen road links between Metro Manila and Central and North Luzon through the NLEX network.