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The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) has signed the concession agreement on November 23, of the North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) Connector Road Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project.

As we reported in late September, DPWH issued a notice of award (NOA) to Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC) and its subsidiary Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) for the concession contract. 

Once completed, the PPP project will reduce the travel duration from NLEX to SLEX from the current two hours into 20-30 minutes.

MNTC will construct, operate and maintain the PHP23 billion (US$462 million) unsolicited project, which is an eight-kilometer four-lane elevated expressway over the Philippine National Railway (PNR) right of way (ROW).

The connector road will start from from C3 Road in Caloocan through Manila crossing España towards Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Sta. Mesa connecting Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 (MMSS3).

It is expected to reduce traffic in Metro Manila by providing an alternative to C-5 Road, Efipanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), and other major thoroughfares.