.svg) C-5 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 northbound towardsKaruhatan Exit inValenzuela | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNLEX Corporation | ||||
| Length | 24.8 km[1][2] (15.4 mi) Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) – 2.7 km (1.7 mi) Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link) – 2.42 km (1.50 mi) Segment 10 (Harbor Link) – 8.18 km (5.08 mi) (including C-3–R-10 section) Segment 8.2 (C-5 North Link) – 11.5 km (7.1 mi) (construction pending) | |||
| Existed | 2009–present | |||
| Component highways | ||||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  AH 26 (N120) (Radial Road 10) inNavotas | |||
| Major intersections |
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| East end |  N128 (Mindanao Avenue) in ValenzuelaFuture:  N129 (Katipunan Avenue) / C.P. Garcia Avenue inQuezon City | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Philippines | |||
| Major cities | Caloocan,Malabon,Navotas,Quezon City,Valenzuela | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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NLEX Harbor Link (North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link), signed asE5 of thePhilippine expressway network, is a four- to six-lane expressway that serves as a spur ofNorth Luzon Expressway (NLEX) linking it to thePort of Manila to the west andQuezon City to the east.[3][1] It runs fromKatipunan (a component ofCircumferential Road 5) and C.P. Garcia Avenues in Quezon City toRadial Road 10 inNavotas, leading to the Port of Manila. Currently, its segment fromMindanao Avenue inValenzuela to Navotas is operational.
The NLEX Harbor Link Project is an extension of theNorth Luzon Expressway running fromMindanao Avenue inValenzuela at the east toRadial Road 10 inNavotas at the west, allowing access to thePort of Manila. It aims to connect with the Port of Manila while improving cargo movement between NLEX and Radial Road 10. It is divided into four segments, namely: Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link), 8.2 (C-5 Link / Citi Link), 9 (Karuhatan Link), and 10 (Harbor Link).[1] It forms part of the expressway'sopen section. Both Segments 8.1 and 9, located inValenzuela, are components ofCircumferential Road 5 (C-5) ofManila's arterial road network.
NLEX Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) is a four-lane, 2.7-kilometer (1.7 mi) expressway from theHarbor Link Interchange toMindanao Avenue in Valenzuela. Lying on the ground level east of the interchange, it begins at the intersection with Mindanao Avenue in Barangay Ugong and then approaches the Mindanao toll plazas, widening to 6 lanes serving only westbound traffic. It terminates at the Harbor Link Interchange with NLEX Main and continues to the west as Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link).
NLEX Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link) is a four-lane, 2.42-kilometer (1.50 mi) expressway from Harbor Link Interchange toMacArthur Highway inKaruhatan, Valenzuela. It is the first segment of the NLEX Harbor Link project.[4] It begins at theHarbor Link Interchange with NLEX Main, picking up from where Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) left off. Lying on the ground level west of the interchange, it then traverses Barangays Gen. T. De Leon, Parada, and Maysan, where two exits towards the first two barangays, respectively, are found. It then enters Barangay Karuhatan, where it approaches the Karuhatan toll plaza, widening to 6 lanes serving only eastbound vehicles, and Segment 10 (Harbor Link) and finally terminates atMacArthur Highway.
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NLEX Segment 10 (Harbor Link), the second phase of the NLEX Harbor Link project, is a four-lane, 5.65-kilometer (3.51 mi) fully elevated expressway which connects with the Karuhatan Link (Segment 9) in Valenzuela toC-3 Road inCaloocan, where two ramps carry it to the west for another 2.60 kilometers (1.62 mi) up toRadial Road 10 (R-10) inNavotas.[4] It begins at Karuhatan Exit with Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link) and MacArthur Highway. The section near the northern terminus traverses an industrial and residential area, which necessitated the demolition of numerous houses, buildings, and warehouses. It soon follows the railwayright of way, where it rises to as high as 19 meters (62 ft) to provide necessary ground clearance for the viaduct carrying the futureNorth–South Commuter Railway of thePhilippine National Railways (PNR). It then crosses theTullahan River, where it enters Malabon. It then enters Caloocan, where pastSamson Road and the PNR rolling stock shops in Caloocan, it shifts east of the railway's ROW, necessitating the demolition of a wet market. An exit to C-3 Road could then be found before meeting the Caloocan Interchange, where the expressway veers west as the C3–R10 spur alignment with a connection toNLEX Connector that would lead southwards toManila. The 2.60-kilometer (1.62 mi) C3–R10 spur section, also known as the Mel Lopez Boulevard section,[5] runs above C-3 Road, with a westbound exit to Dagat-Dagatan Avenue, crossing the Navotas River as it enters Navotas before reaching the Navotas Interchange, which connects to thePort of Manila viaMel Lopez Boulevard.
At the Navotas Interchange, the expressway has a possible future connection to the proposed Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) towardsManila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) orNew Manila International Airport, respectively.
According to differing versions ofFrost Plan forQuezon City (the then-capital of the Philippines), an avenue was planned to connect the second National Government Center at Constitution Hill (nowBatasan Hills) to both Balintawak and Manila North Road (nowMacArthur Highway) inValenzuela. This road was named Republic Avenue or Avenue of the Republic.[6][7][8] However, the avenue was partially realized, and itsright of way was eventually occupied by informal settlements. The proposal for theCircumferential Road 5 (C-5) came thereafter, with a proposed terminus by theManila Bay inNavotas, based on a 1980 feasibility study by theJapan International Cooperation Agency.[9][10][11]
Another study was conducted by JICA in 1993, which included a plan for an urban expressway in Metro Manila. The planned routes were included in the study. The portion ofExpressway Route C-3 would start at the interchange with Expressway Route R-9 along the intersection ofAndres Bonifacio Avenue in Quezon City and continue to the first segment of Expressway Route R-10 inNavotas.[12]
In the 1999 Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study (MMUTIS), JICA proposed building elevated expressways from Andres Bonifacio Avenue to Radial Road 10/Marcos Road (nowMel Lopez Boulevard) inTondo, Manila, called theR-10/C-3 Expressway, and along Circumferential Road 5 that would have extended toBulacan past Republic Avenue in Quezon City.[13] In 2003, JICA conducted another study proposing the Metro Manila Urban Expressway System, which included routes along R-9, R-10, C-3, and C-5.[14] However, none of these plans were implemented.
The proposal for the northern extension of C-5 conceptualized in the 1980 and 1999 JICA studies[15][16] aimed to connect Quezon City to Navotas. In 1998, thePhilippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) signed a STOA agreement with the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC, nowNLEX Corporation), planning a tolled expressway from C.P. Garcia Avenue, veering into Republic Avenue in Quezon City and reaching Valenzuela. The route, initially 22.4 kilometers (13.9 mi) long,[17][18] included segments of the Harbor Link and a cloverleaf interchange with theNorth Luzon Expressway (NLEX). The planned terminus was to be located atLetre Road inMalabon. However, it was realigned to follow thePhilippine National Railways'abandoned line and ends atC-3 Road inCaloocan.[19]
Construction of NLEX Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link), the first segment of the Harbor Link project, broke ground on April 2, 2009,[20] with actual construction work beginning on April 21, 2009.[21] The right-of-way for the road and interchange were then established upon their construction, and several houses were demolished. The first segment of the project was opened to traffic on June 5, 2010, by former PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo andMetro Pacific Investments chairmanManny Pangilinan.[22] The spur road became part of theC-5 Road North Extension and was built to provide another entry point to the expressway from Metro Manila and decongestBalintawak Interchange.[23]
In 2013–2014, the construction of NLEX Segments 9 (Karuhatan Link) and 10 (Harbor Link) broke ground.[24][25] On March 18, 2015, NLEX Segment 9 was opened, continuing Segment 8.1, running from the western side of the Harbor Link Interchange to MacArthur Highway inKaruhatan,Valenzuela.
In 2017, the works on the additional segment leading to Radial Road 10 began, while three ramps were planned as a provision.[26]
On February 28, 2019, the main stretch of NLEX Segment 10 from MacArthur Highway to C-3 Road inCaloocan was inaugurated and opened to traffic.[27][28] However, this section of NLEX Segment 10 was supposed to be operational in December 2016[29] but was delayed repeatedly due to right-of-way issues and delayed right-of-way acquisition. On February 21, 2020, its C-3–R-10 section was partially opened to its Malabon (Dagat-Dagatan) exit ramp.[30] On June 15, its remaining section to Radial Road 10 was finally opened.[31] This section was originally expected to open in March 2020 but was delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
NLEX Segment 8.2, also named NLEX C-5 Link and NLEX–C-5 North Link Project,[4][32] will be an 11.3-kilometer (7.0 mi) segment part of the NLEX Harbor Link Project that will connect the existing NLEX Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) toKatipunan Avenue, a part ofC-5. It is divided into two sections: the 8.30-kilometer (5.16 mi) Section 1 from Mindanao Avenue to Luzon Avenue and the 3.2-kilometer (2.0 mi) Section 2 from Luzon Avenue to C.P. Garcia Avenue.[1][33][34] The planned segment will at first run parallel to Republic Avenue before making a southward turn to Luzon Avenue, after which it will then cross toCommonwealth Avenue and end at the intersection of C.P. Garcia andKatipunan Avenues.[4] The segment will include five interchanges at Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Highway, Regalado Avenue, Congressional and Luzon Avenues, and Katipunan and C.P. Garcia Avenues, with three local road crossings at Sauyo Road, Chestnut Avenue, and Commonwealth Avenue.[35][36]
The project implementation has been delayed for years due to right of way issues,[2][37] as it will affectinformal settlers in eight barangays in Quezon City.[38] Construction of the expressway segment's first phase, particularly the 2-kilometer (1.2 mi) Section 1A between Mindanao Avenue and Quirino Highway, is set to commence in February 2025, after being awarded their contract toChina Road and Bridge Corporation.[32]
NLEX Harbor Link is part ofNorth Luzon Expressway's open section in Metro Manila and south of NLEX Main's Bocaue Toll Plaza inBocaue,Bulacan. The section employs abarrier toll system, wherein vehicles are charged a flat toll based on class. Entering vehicles from NLEX Main do not need another toll collection on NLEX Harbor Link as their toll fees have already been collected at Balintawak or one of the southbound toll plazas from Bocaue to Paso de Blas, whereas those from elsewhere from Caloocan Interchange northwards/eastwards are charged a toll fee at Mindanao or Karuhatan toll plazas; eastbound vehicles exiting at Karuhatan are charged a toll fee upon exit. Vehicles traversing the C-3–R-10 section to and from the NLEX Connector are charged a toll fee at the latter.
It accepts cash payments and adopts the electronic toll collection (ETC) system, which is operated by Easytrip Services Corporation. Under the law, all toll rates include a 12%Value-Added Tax (VAT).
The toll rates, implemented since March 2, 2025, are as follows:[39]
| Class | Toll |
|---|---|
| Class 1 (cars, motorcycles, SUVs,jeepneys) | ₱79 |
| Class 2 (buses, light trucks) | ₱199 |
| Class 3 (heavy trucks) | ₱238 |
This entire route is located inMetro Manila. Exit numbers are numbered by kilometer posts. The kilometer count, which would be shown here in its approximate values, increments east and west ofHarbor Link Interchange as it branches off NLEX Main, withRizal Park inManila designated askilometer 0.
| Province | City/Municipality | km | mi | Exit | Name | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quezon City | C.P. Garcia | N129 (Katipunan Avenue) / C.P. Garcia Avenue | Future eastern terminus;[33] possible link to the proposed C-5 Expressway | ||||
| Congressional | N129 (Congressional Avenue Extension, Luzon Avenue) | ||||||
| Regalado[40] | Regalado Avenue | ||||||
| Quirino Highway |  N127 (Quirino Highway) | Future temporary terminus; eastern end of Section 1A | |||||
| Valenzuela | 15.9 | 9.9 | Mindanao Avenue | N128 (Mindanao Avenue) –Quezon City | Current eastern terminus; C-5 segment of NLEX Harbor Link starts here. | ||
| 15.39 | 9.56 | Mindanao Toll Plaza (westbound only) | |||||
| 15.29 | 9.50 | Mindanao Toll Plaza expansion (westbound only; exclusively for Class 1) | |||||
| 13 | 8.1 | Harbor Link Interchange |  AH 26 (E1) (NLEX Main) –Balintawak,Tarlac | Cloverleaf interchange with collector lanes; former western terminus (2010-2015) | |||
| 14.71 | 9.14 | Parada | Parada, Maysan | Westbound exit only | |||
| 15.00 | 9.32 | Gen. T. De Leon | Gen. T. de Leon | Eastbound exit only | |||
| 16.15 | 10.04 | Karuhatan Toll Plaza (eastbound only) | |||||
| 16.2– 17.5 | 10.1– 10.9 | Karuhatan |  N1 (MacArthur Highway) –Karuhatan | Diamond interchange. C-5 segment of NLEX Harbor Link ends here. Former western terminus (2015-2019) | |||
| Malabon | No major junctions | ||||||
| Caloocan | C-3 Road |  N130 (C-3 Road) – Caloocan | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance, former western terminus (2019-2020) | ||||
| Caloocan Interchange | NLEX Connector | Directional T interchange; veers west to C3–R10 section | |||||
| Malabon(Dagat-Dagatan) | Dagat-Dagatan Avenue – Caloocan, Malabon | Westbound exit and future eastbound entrance[41] | |||||
| Navotas | AH 26 (N120) (R-10) – Navotas Fish Port Complex | Future westbound exit and eastbound entrance, access to Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX)[42] | |||||
| Navotas Interchange(Mel Lopez Boulevard/R10 Ramp)[42] | AH 26 (N120) (R-10) –Port of Manila | Western terminus, future connection to Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also:Philippine highway network | ||||||||||||||||
