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The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), signed as E1 of the
Philippine expressway network The Philippine expressway network, also known as the High Standard Highway Network, is a controlled-access highway network managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) which consists of all expressways and regional high standar ...
, partially as N160 of the
Philippine highway network The Philippine highway network is a network of national roads owned and maintained by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and organized into three classifications according to their function or purpose: national primary, seconda ...
, and R-8 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
to the provinces of the
Central Luzon Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
region in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. The expressway, which includes the main segment and its various spurs, has a total length of and travels from its northern terminus at Sta. Ines Interchange to its southern terminus in
Balintawak Interchange The Balintawak Interchange , also known as the Balintawak Cloverleaf, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction between Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and the North Luz ...
, which is adjacent to its connection to
Skyway A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...
, an elevated toll road that connects the NLEX to its counterpart in the south, the
South Luzon Expressway The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...
. The segment of the expressway between Santa Rita Exit in
Guiguinto Guiguinto, officially the Municipality of Guiguinto ( tgl, Bayan ng Guiguinto), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 113,415 people. Guiguinto is one of the fa ...
and the Balintawak Interchange in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
is part of
Asian Highway 26 The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...
of the Asian highway network. The expressway also serves as a major utility corridor, carrying various high voltage
overhead power line An overhead power line is a structure used in electric power transmission and distribution to transmit electrical energy across large distances. It consists of one or more uninsulated electrical cables (commonly multiples of three for three-p ...
s through densely populated areas where acquisition and designation of right of way or power line alignment and lands for their associated structures is impractical. A notable power line using the expressway's right of way for most or part of the route is the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak transmission line from San Fernando Exit in
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
,
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
to
Smart Connect Interchange The Smart Connect Interchange, also known as the Harbor Link Interchange and the Mindanao Avenue Interchange, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Valenzuela, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction of North Luzon Expresswa ...
in
Valenzuela Valenzuela may refer to: Places * Valenzuela, Paraguay * Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Philippines * Valenzuela, Spain * Valenzuela de Calatrava, Spain * Valenzuela, Louisiana Other uses * Valenzuela (surname), including a list of people with the n ...
, Metro Manila. The North Luzon Expressway was built in the 1960s as part of the government's program to develop areas adjacent to Metro Manila, with NLEX serving the north. The expressway was originally controlled by the
Philippine National Construction Corporation The Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) in the Philippines. It is the largest construction company in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. It is usually tasked with major ...
(PNCC), until the expressway's operations and maintenance was transferred in February 10, 2005, to the
NLEX Corporation NLEX Corporation (formerly Manila North Tollways Corporation) is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), a company owned by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (). It holds the concession rights to construct, operate and m ...
, a subsidiary of
Metro Pacific Investments Corporation Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) is a Philippine-based unit investment holding company of First Pacific Company Limited through Metro Pacific Holdings, Inc. MPIC through its subsidiaries, provides water, sanitation, and sewerage se ...
(a former subsidiary of the
Lopez Group of Companies Lopez Holdings Corporation (formerly Benpres Holdings Corporation until July 5, 2010) is a Filipino conglomerate founded by the brothers Eugenio Lopez, Sr. and Fernando Lopez, Sr. It has substantial holdings in the public service and utilitie ...
until 2008). The expressway was expanded and rehabilitated from 2003 to February 2005, modernizing the road and its facilities.


Route description


NLEX Main

The North Luzon Expressway's main segment, called the North Luzon Tollway (NLT) or NLEX Main, cuts northwards from
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
to the provinces in Central Luzon. The expressway begins in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
as a four lane road at the
Balintawak Interchange The Balintawak Interchange , also known as the Balintawak Cloverleaf, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction between Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and the North Luz ...
with
EDSA Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or citie ...
as a continuation of A. Bonifacio Avenue. The main segment spans , passing through
Caloocan Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
and
Valenzuela Valenzuela may refer to: Places * Valenzuela, Paraguay * Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Philippines * Valenzuela, Spain * Valenzuela de Calatrava, Spain * Valenzuela, Louisiana Other uses * Valenzuela (surname), including a list of people with the n ...
in
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
and the provinces of
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Me ...
and
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
in Central Luzon. It currently ends in
Mabalacat Mabalacat, officially the City of Mabalacat ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Mabalacat; fil, Lungsod ng Mabalacat), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 293,244 people ...
. The NLEX runs parallel to the
MacArthur Highway The MacArthur Highway, officially the Manila North Road (MNR or MaNor), is a , two-to-six lane, national primary highway and tertiary highway in Luzon, Philippines, connecting Caloocan in Metro Manila to Aparri in Cagayan. It is the second l ...
, which is officially known as the Manila North Road. From Balintawak, the NLEX follows a straight north route, with sections lined by billboards. Two service roads run on either sides of the expressway from Balintawak to Barangay Lias,
Marilao Marilao, officially the Municipality of Marilao ( tgl, Bayan ng Marilao), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 254,453 people. With the continuous expansion of ...
, albeit discontinuously and one service road on the west from Marilao Exit to Duhat, Bocaue. The N160 concurrency ends near the Eternal Gardens Memorial Park in
Caloocan Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
, just below
Skyway A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...
and its Balintawak Exit and few meters south of the former site of Balintawak toll plaza that operated until 2005. The expressway then bends westward at
Smart Connect Interchange The Smart Connect Interchange, also known as the Harbor Link Interchange and the Mindanao Avenue Interchange, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Valenzuela, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction of North Luzon Expresswa ...
in
Valenzuela Valenzuela may refer to: Places * Valenzuela, Paraguay * Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Philippines * Valenzuela, Spain * Valenzuela de Calatrava, Spain * Valenzuela, Louisiana Other uses * Valenzuela (surname), including a list of people with the n ...
and in Tambubong Interchange in Bocaue, Bulacan. The following exit, Tabang, leads passengers to the Tabang Spur Road. The Tabang Spur Road is a four-lane, spur road in
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Me ...
that branches off NLEX Main at Tabang Exit in
Balagtas Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862), commonly known as Francisco Balagtas and also as Francisco Baltasar, was a Filipino Tagalog litterateur and poet during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is ...
and terminates at a partial cloverleaf interchange with MacArthur Highway and Cagayan Valley Road at Guiguinto Exit in
Guiguinto Guiguinto, officially the Municipality of Guiguinto ( tgl, Bayan ng Guiguinto), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 113,415 people. Guiguinto is one of the fa ...
. The spur road carried the final leg of the expressway until the present route was extended to Pampanga. The expressway narrows to three lanes per direction past Tabang Exit. It continues on a straight route, traversing paddy fields on the outskirts of Guiguinto, Malolos, and Pulilan. The Asian Highway 26 (AH26) concurrency leaves NLEX at Santa Rita Exit, where it follows
Maharlika Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...
, also known as Cagayan Valley Road, towards
Baliuag Baliwag or Baliuag, officially the City of Baliwag ( fil, Lungsod ng Baliwag), is a component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 168,470 people. Baliuag was founded in 1732 by Augu ...
and
Cagayan Valley Cagayan Valley ( ilo, Tanap ti Cagayan; fil, Lambak ng Cagayan), is an administrative region in the Philippines, located in the northeastern section of Luzon Island. It is composed of five Philippine provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, ...
. A few meters after Pulilan Exit is the
Candaba Viaduct The Candaba Viaduct (also known as Pulilan–Apalit Bridge) is a viaduct carrying the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) across the Candaba Swamp in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, Philippines consisting of six lanes (three northbound and thr ...
(officially known as Pulilan-Apalit Bridge). The bridge traverses rice paddies and swampland in the municipalities of Pulilan,
Calumpit Calumpit, officially the Municipality of Calumpit ( tgl, Bayan ng Calumpit), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,471 people. Etymology The name "''Calu ...
, Bulacan and Apalit,
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
, and crosses
Pampanga River The Pampanga River is the second largest river on the island of Luzon in the Philippines (next to Cagayan River) and the country's fifth longest river. It is in the Central Luzon region and traverses the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, and Nueva ...
before the viaduct ends. The expressway continues again on a straight alignment. After San Fernando Exit, the expressway narrows into two lanes per direction. It continues a mostly straight and gently winding route through the rural areas of
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, crossing Abacan and Quitangil rivers, and traversing the eastern parts of Angeles and
Mabalacat Mabalacat, officially the City of Mabalacat ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Mabalacat; fil, Lungsod ng Mabalacat), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 293,244 people ...
. NLEX connects with
Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), signed as E1 and E4 of the Philippine expressway network and R-8 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is controlled-access toll expressway in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Fro ...
via Clark Spur Road before the main line terminates at Sta. Ines Interchange, with a toll plaza serving the exit.


NLEX Harbor Link

Collectively known as the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link Project (NLEX Harbor Link Project), these series of expressways connect the North Luzon Expressway to various points in Metro Manila. It currently runs from
Mindanao Avenue Mindanao Avenue ( fil, Abenida Mindanao) is an eight-to-ten lane divided avenue connecting EDSA and NLEX and is a part of Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is one of the three parallel roads that connects Tandang So ...
in
Valenzuela Valenzuela may refer to: Places * Valenzuela, Paraguay * Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Philippines * Valenzuela, Spain * Valenzuela de Calatrava, Spain * Valenzuela, Louisiana Other uses * Valenzuela (surname), including a list of people with the n ...
to
Radial Road 10 Radial Road 10, more commonly referred to as R-10, is a planned network of roads and bridges that all together would form the tenth radial road of Manila in the Philippines. It is the westernmost of the radial roads north of the Pasig River runn ...
in
Navotas Navotas, officially the City of Navotas ( fil, Lungsod ng Navotas), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 247,543 people. It is known as the ...
, linking the North Luzon Expressway to the
Port of Manila The Port of Manila ( fil, Pantalan ng Maynila) refers to the collective facilities and terminals that process maritime trade function in harbors in Metro Manila. Located in the Port Area and Tondo districts of Manila, Philippines facing the M ...
. Once completed, it will run from
Katipunan Avenue Katipunan Avenue ( fil, Abenida Katipunan) is a major avenue in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It runs in a north–south direction from the University of the Philippines Diliman, intersecting with Tandang Sora Avenue at its northernmost ...
, a component of Circumferential Road 5, in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
at the east.


History


Planning and construction

The original stretch of the expressway, from
Balintawak Interchange The Balintawak Interchange , also known as the Balintawak Cloverleaf, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction between Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and the North Luz ...
in Quezon City up to Guiguinto Exit in Bulacan, was completed on August 4, 1968. It is a fully fenced limited-access highway that consisted of a four-lane rural divided roadway, nine twin bridges, one railroad overpass, seven underpasses, and three interchanges. Originally a project of the
Department of Public Works and Highways The Department of Public Works and Highways ( fil, Kagawaran ng mga Pagawain at Lansangang Bayan}), abbreviated as DPWH, is the executive department of the Philippine government solely vested with the Mandate to “be the State's engineering ...
, the completion of the major portion of the job fell on the Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP, the precursor to PNCC) to pioneer the toll concept of funding infrastructure. It was carried out under the private financing scheme provided by Republic Act No. 3741. Additional work required by the government included the construction of the Balintawak – Novaliches Interchange Complex, the Tabang Interchange, and the approach road of the underpasses. In 1976, the NLT extension, consisting of of concrete road, was built as part of a highways program of the International Bank for Reconstruction Development (
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
) linking major urban centers to the production centers in the north. The project features a 4-lane limited-access highway with a
Candaba Viaduct The Candaba Viaduct (also known as Pulilan–Apalit Bridge) is a viaduct carrying the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) across the Candaba Swamp in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, Philippines consisting of six lanes (three northbound and thr ...
, a construction innovation utilizing precast beam system, 6 interchanges, 12 bridges, and overpass/underpass structures. Between 1986 and 1991, under the Corazon Aquino administration, the expressway was extended by another from its terminus at Dau Exit to Santa Ines Exit in
Mabalacat, Pampanga Mabalacat, officially the City of Mabalacat ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Mabalacat; fil, Lungsod ng Mabalacat), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 293,244 peo ...
, with a northbound lane from Dau Exit to the future connection to SCTEX had an asphalt overlay while the southbound lane was originally a concrete road before an asphalt overlay was added upon the expressway's rehabilitation. In 1998,
Manila North Tollways Corporation NLEX Corporation (formerly Manila North Tollways Corporation) is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), a company owned by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (). It holds the concession rights to construct, operate and ma ...
(MNTC) was granted the concession for the expressway, manifested in a Supplementary Toll Operation Agreement (STOA). Under the STOA, the government confirmed the assignment by PNCC of its usufructuary rights, interest and privileges over the existing expressway, including all extensions, linkages and diversions in favor of MNTC. These concession rights authorized MNTC to construct, finance, manage, operate and maintain all the project roads and charge tolls thereon.


Expansion and rehabilitation

From February 2003 to February 2005, the expressway underwent a major rehabilitation. Works included the widening of the Balintawak–Tabang segment from 6 to 8 lanes and the Tabang–Sta. Rita segment from 4 to 6 lanes, asphalt overlay, and the demolition of old tollbooths. The main contractor of the rehabilitation work was
Leighton Asia Leighton Asia is an Asia-Pacific construction contractor, a part of the CIMIC Group, an Australian project development and contracting group. Leighton Asia is currently headquartered in Hong Kong, and has been operating in the continent for m ...
with Egis Projects as the main subcontractor for the toll, telecommunication and traffic management systems. To help maintain the safety and quality of the expressway, various rules are in effect, such as restricting the left lane to passing vehicles only and banning overloaded trucks. On February 10, 2005, commercial operations began following the Toll Regulatory Board's issuance of the Toll Operation Permit. On the same day, the operation and maintenance of the expressway was transferred from the government-owned
Philippine National Construction Corporation The Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) in the Philippines. It is the largest construction company in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. It is usually tasked with major ...
(PNCC) to the Manila North Tollways Corporation, which would later become known as NLEX Corporation. On February 12, 2007, the entire stretch of the
expressway Expressway may refer to: * Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic. * Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road. *Expressway, the fictional s ...
began another rehabilitation regarding its drainage systems. Within this period, certain lanes of the road were closed to the traffic. This in turn caused massive traffic jams along the road and the speed limit on the construction sites were reduced from and , respectively, to . The program was finished on October 7, 2007.


Further extensions

On June 5, 2010, NLEX Segment 8.1 or NLEX Mindanao Avenue Link was opened. The new spur road of NLEX is a part of the C-5 Road North Extension and is built to provide another entry point to the expressway from Metro Manila and decongest Balintawak Interchange. On March 18, 2015, NLEX Segment 9 or the NLEX Karuhatan Link was opened, providing continuation to Segment 8.1 that runs from the other side of the
Smart Connect Interchange The Smart Connect Interchange, also known as the Harbor Link Interchange and the Mindanao Avenue Interchange, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Valenzuela, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction of North Luzon Expresswa ...
to
MacArthur Highway The MacArthur Highway, officially the Manila North Road (MNR or MaNor), is a , two-to-six lane, national primary highway and tertiary highway in Luzon, Philippines, connecting Caloocan in Metro Manila to Aparri in Cagayan. It is the second l ...
in Karuhatan,
Valenzuela Valenzuela may refer to: Places * Valenzuela, Paraguay * Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Philippines * Valenzuela, Spain * Valenzuela de Calatrava, Spain * Valenzuela, Louisiana Other uses * Valenzuela (surname), including a list of people with the n ...
. On February 28, 2019, the main stretch of NLEX Segment 10 or the NLEX Harbor Link, from Karuhatan to C-3 Road, was opened to traffic. On February 21, 2020, its C3–R10 Section was partially opened up to its Malabon exit ramp; the remaining section to Radial Road 10 was opened on June 15, 2020.


Proposed renaming

The main expressway has been a subject of some legislative measures for its proposed renaming. These were filed to commemorate to the historical significance and contributions of its intended namesakes, respectively. However, none has taken effect to date, as these await a counterpart measure from the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
before it can be signed into law by the
President of the Philippines The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...
. On May 10, 2015, the House Committee on Public Works and Highways approved House Bill No. 4820 that seeks to rename the expressway to President Corazon C. Aquino Expressway (CAEX), in honor of former President
Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People P ...
, who was regarded as an icon of
democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose gov ...
. It was authored by Magnolia Rosa Antonino-Nadres, the then-representative from
Nueva Ecija Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province ...
's 4th district. On May 13, 2019, the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
passed on third and final reading the House Bill No. 8958 that seeks to rename the expressway to the Marcelo H. del Pilar Expressway (MHDPEX), in honor of
Marcelo H. del Pilar Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán (; ; August 30, 1850July 4, 1896), commonly known as Marcelo H. del Pilar and also known by his pen name Pláridel,.''Filipinos in History: Volume II'', National Historical Institute, 1990, p. 101 was a ...
, a revolutionary writer and patriot from Bulacan. The bill is principally authored by
Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado Jose Antonio Reyes Sy-Alvarado (born January 7, 1983) is a Filipino politician and businessman who last served as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 1st district of Bulacan from 2016 to 2022. Educati ...
, the then-representative from Bulacan's 1st district.


Future


Sta. Ines extension

Currently, NLEX terminates at the Sta. Ines Exit in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Plans to continue the expressway beyond have been raised over the years, with the cooperation of DPWH, to extend the Sta. Ines Interchange towards
Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), signed as E1 and E4 of the Philippine expressway network and R-8 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is controlled-access toll expressway in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Fro ...
, also in Mabalacat.


NLEX Connector

Several plans for a construction of an elevated road to connect North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and
South Luzon Expressway The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...
(SLEX) have been mooted long before the construction of the NLEX Connector. The government reportedly accepted an unsolicited proposal from Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corporation (MPTDC) to build the road. MPTDC is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), which runs NLEX. This would later be known as the NLEX Connector Road project. The elevated expressway, which would be truck ban-free, will run over the Philippine National Railways tracks from the existing Segment 10 (Harbor Link) in Caloocan to the future interchange with Skyway Stage 3 near the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines , mottoeng = ''Light of the Nation'' , type = Public coeducational research higher education institution , established = October 19, 1904 , closed = , religious_affiliation = ...
(PUP) campus in
Santa Mesa Santa Mesa is a district in Manila, Philippines. It is surrounded by Pasig River on the southwestern side, and by the San Juan River on its southern and eastern side. Land borders include the districts of San Miguel to the west and Sampaloc t ...
, Manila. Construction of the project is estimated to cost , but as an "all-elevated" or completely grade-separated structure, right-of-way acquisition shall be reduced to an estimated cost of only . Once completed, the Connector Road will have four entry and exit points: the Caloocan Interchange, C-3 Road in Caloocan, España in
Sampaloc, Manila Sampaloc is a district of Manila, Philippines. It is referred to as the University Belt or simply called ''“U-Belt”'' for numerous colleges and universities are found within the district such as the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest ext ...
, and
Magsaysay Boulevard Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, also known simply as Magsaysay Boulevard and formerly as Santa Mesa Boulevard, is the principal artery of Santa Mesa in Manila, Philippines. It is a six-lane divided roadway that travels east–west from Gregorio Aran ...
near Santa Mesa, Manila. It broke ground on February 28, 2019, at the same day the NLEX Karuhatan Link and Segment 10 saw majority completion, was inaugurated, and opened to traffic. Section 1, spanning from Caloocan to España is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2022, while Section 2, also known as the Sta. Mesa Section spanning from España to Santa Mesa is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2023. Its construction takes into consideration the upcoming parallel construction of the southern segment of the
North–South Commuter Railway The North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR), also known as the Clark–Calamba Railway, is a urban rail transit system under construction in the island of Luzon, Philippines. Running from New Clark City in Capas to Calamba, Laguna with 36 sta ...
. Section 2, spanning from España to Santa Mesa, had its ground broken on December 14, 2021. The civil works of Section 2 are being handled by
China Road and Bridge Corporation China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), a subsidiary of Fortune Global 500 company China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), focuses on global civil engineering and construction projects such as highways, railways, bridges, ports, and ...
. Construction of Section 2 began on February 8, 2022. To make way for the expressway, the Magsaysay Flyover along
Magsaysay Boulevard Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, also known simply as Magsaysay Boulevard and formerly as Santa Mesa Boulevard, is the principal artery of Santa Mesa in Manila, Philippines. It is a six-lane divided roadway that travels east–west from Gregorio Aran ...
had to be decommissioned as it would traverse below
LRT Line 2 The Light Rail Transit Line 2, also known as LRT Line 2 (LRT-2) or Megatren, is a rapid transit line in Metro Manila in the Philippines, generally running in an east–west direction along the Radial Road 6 and a portion of the Circumferential ...
. , Section 1 of the project is 92% complete, with its planned opening of December 2022 now delayed towards the 1st quarter 2023. , Section 2 is 22% complete, with a planned opening in the 2nd quarter 2023.


NLEX Phase 3

NLEX Phase 3 would be a extension with three segments from NLEX Main, originally planned to be built from
San Simon, Pampanga San Simon, officially the Municipality of San Simon ( pam, Balen ning San Simon; tl, Bayan ng San Simon), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 59,182 people. ...
, to
Dinalupihan, Bataan Dinalupihan, officially the Municipality of Dinalupihan ( tl, Bayan ng Dinalupihan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,209 people. Dinalupihan, the only ...
, connecting to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone via
Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), signed as E1 and E4 of the Philippine expressway network and R-8 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is controlled-access toll expressway in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Fro ...
. However, the plan was modified to instead start somewhere between Apalit and
San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
in
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
, then cut across
Guagua Guagua, officially the Municipality of Guagua ( pam, Balen ning Guagua; tl, Bayan ng Guagua), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 cens ...
and end at Dinalupihan. Though the project will tentatively start from Apalit based on the concession, the new alignment has yet to be finalized.


New Manila International Airport link

Pillars have been built on NLEX between its Balintawak toll plaza and
Skyway A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...
Stage 3's Balintawak/NLEX off-ramp to accommodate a future toll road to the
New Manila International Airport New Manila International Airport ( fil, Bagong Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Maynila), also known as Bulacan International Airport, is an international airport under construction on the coastal areas of Bulakan, Bulacan, north of the capital Manil ...
in
Bulakan, Bulacan Bulakan, officially the Municipality of Bulakan ( tgl, Bayan ng Bulakan), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
. The future project, to be built by
San Miguel Corporation San Miguel Corporation, abbreviated as SMC, is a Philippine multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The company is one of the largest and most diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. Originally founded i ...
, will expand the capacity of NLEX by adding new 4–5 lanes up to Marilao, which was selected for another toll road to the future airport. After the completion of this elevated toll road, NLEX will have 11–13 lanes total (3–4 lanes per direction on NLEX + 5 lanes on the elevated segment) from Balintawak Cloverleaf to Marilao, ultimately bypassing the NLEX's open section. The toll road project, later known as the Northern Access Link Expressway (NALEX), was approved by the Toll Regulatory Board in June 2022. It would be long from Skyway Stage 3 to a roundabout in
Meycauayan Meycauayan, officially the City of Meycauayan ( fil, Lungsod ng Meycauayan), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 225,673 people. It is one of the oldest t ...
, near the airport. Another stretch would be built beyond the NMIA roundabout, ending at the southern end of the
Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway The Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX), signed as E1 of the Philippine expressway network and R-8 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a controlled-access toll expressway that connects the Central Luzon region with the I ...
in
Tarlac City Tarlac City, officially the City of Tarlac ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Tarlac; pag, Siyudad na Tarlac; ilo, Siudad ti Tarlac; fil, Lungsod ng Tarlac ), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Tarlac, Philippines. According to ...
. When completed, NALEX would be long. The NALEX project costs and the first segment is targeted to be completed by 2026.


Tolls

The tollway has two sections: an open section and a closed section. The open section, which is between Bocaue Exit and Balintawak Toll Barrier and the entire NLEX Harbor Link, employs the use of a barrier toll system, which charges a flat toll based on vehicle class. It is employed to reduce the number of toll barriers (and associated bottlenecks) within
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
. The closed section, which is from Bocaue Exit northwards and the northbound exit to Philippine Arena (south of Bocaue), is distance-based, charging based on the class of vehicle and distance traveled. The section south of Balintawak toll barrier is toll-free, especially to vehicles travelling between
Quirino Highway The Quirino Highway, formerly called the El Quirino Express Road or Ipo Road, is a four-to-eight lane, secondary highway that connects Quezon City to the municipality of Norzagaray in Bulacan, Philippines. The road is a designated as National ...
and
Balintawak Interchange The Balintawak Interchange , also known as the Balintawak Cloverleaf, is a two-level cloverleaf interchange in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the junction between Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and the North Luz ...
. When the expressway was modernized, an electronic toll collection system was set up for Class 1 vehicles while prepaid magnetic cards were assigned to Class 2 and 3 vehicles to speed up transactions at toll booths. These have since been replaced by a unified ETC system operated by Easytrip Services Corporation. In accordance with law, all toll rates include a 12%
Value-Added Tax A value-added tax (VAT), known in some countries as a goods and services tax (GST), is a type of tax that is assessed incrementally. It is levied on the price of a product or service at each stage of production, distribution, or sale to the en ...
(VAT). With the movement of the northernmost toll gate to Sta. Ines, the NLEX and SCTEX toll systems have been merged into one combined system, with tolls for all enclosed destinations listed. The toll rates, implemented since May 12, 2022, are as follows:


Services


Emergency phones and parking bays

Emergency telephone boxes are located throughout the whole length of the expressway. Parking bays (lay-bys) are also placed on regular intervals on the expressway, for use in emergency situations.


Service areas

North Luzon Expressway has eleven service areas with 5 on both northbound and southbound of the main line, mostly located on the closed toll section north of Bocaue, and one on Tabang Spur Road. Each service station hosts a gas station, a convenience store, restrooms, car repair, and lubrication services. Except for Shell Tabang NLEX, these also have restaurants and ATMs, with some also providing ETC installation and reloading for Easytrip RFID users.


Exits

Exit numbers are based on kilometer post. Exits begin at 10 because the NLEx is a logical continuation of A. Bonifacio Avenue.
Rizal Park Rizal Park ( fil, Liwasang Rizal, es, link=no, Parque Rizal), also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, is a historic urban park located in Ermita, Manila. It is considered one of the largest urban parks in the Philippines, covering an are ...
in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
is designated as
Kilometer Zero Kilometer Zero is a collective of international artists and writers that produces magazines, theatre, and artistic performances. It was founded in Paris, France, at the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in 2000. The group operates as an associ ...
.


Tabang Spur Road


NLEX Connector


In popular culture

*The expressway was featured in the music video to the song "Toll Gate" by the band
Hale Hale may refer to: Places Australia *Hale, Northern Territory, a locality *Hale River, in southeastern Northern Territory Canada *Hale, Ontario, in Algoma District United Kingdom * Hale, Cumbria, a hamlet near Beetham, Cumbria *Hale, Greater Man ...
. *It was also featured in the movie ''Sa North Diversion Road'' in 2005, based on Tony Perez's stage play of the same name. It was created by Dennis Marasigan. *From June 6–17, 2007, ''On North Diversion Road'', the play written by Tony Perez, was performed at The Arts House, Singapore, by young & W!LD, an actor training division of Singapore's W!LD RICE Theatre.


Notes


References


External links


Manila North Tollways CorporationNLEX-SCTEX Toll Table Rates
{{Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone Toll roads in the Philippines Roads in Metro Manila Roads in Bulacan Roads in Pampanga