E5 expressway (Philippines)
Expressway 5 (E5) forms part of the Philippine expressway network.[1] Collectively known as the NLEX Harbor Link Project,[2] it runs from Congressional Avenue and Luzon Avenue, both components of Circumferential Road 5, in Quezon City to Radial Road 10 in Navotas, linking the North Luzon Expressway to the Port of Manila.
NLEX Harbor Link | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by NLEX Corporation | ||||
Length | 21.7 km (13.5 mi) Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) – 2.7 km (1.7 mi) Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link) – 2.4 km (1.5 mi) Segment 10 (Harbor Link) – 8.25 km (5.13 mi) (including C-3–R-10 section) Segment 8.2 (C-5 Link) – 8.35 km (5.19 mi) (construction pending) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() ![]() | |||
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East end | ![]() Future: ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Major cities | Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Quezon City, Valenzuela | |||
Highway system | ||||
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History

Construction of NLEX Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link), the first segment of the Harbor Link project, broke ground on April 2, 2009,[3] with actual construction work beginning on April 21, 2009.[4] It was then opened on June 5, 2010.[5] The spur road became 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.[6]
In 2013–2014, the construction of NLEX Segments 9 (Karuhatan Link) and 10 (Harbor Link) broke ground.[7][8] On March 18, 2015, NLEX Segment 9 was opened, providing continuation to Segment 8.1 that runs from the western side of the Smart Connect Interchange to MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan, Valenzuela.
On February 28, 2019, the main stretch of NLEX Segment 10 from MacArthur Highway to C-3 Road in Caloocan was opened to traffic.[9] On February 21, 2020, its C3–R10 Section was partially opened up to its Malabon (Dagat-Dagatan) exit ramp.[10] On June 15, its remaining section up to Radial Road 10 was opened.[11]
Route description
The NLEX Harbor Link Project is the extension of the North Luzon Expressway that runs currently from Mindanao Avenue in Valenzuela at the east to Radial Road 10 in Navotas at the west, where an access to the Port of Manila is found. It aims to connect with 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 (C5 Link), 9 (Karuhatan Link), and 10 (Harbor Link).[2] Both Segments 8.1 and 9 are components of Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) of Manila's arterial road network.
Mindanao Avenue to NLEX main

NLEX Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) is a four-lane, 2.7-kilometer (1.7 mi) expressway that runs from the Smart Connect Interchange to Mindanao 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 traffics. It terminates at the Smart Connect Interchange with NLEX Main and continues to the west as Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link).
NLEX main to Karuhatan
NLEX Segment 9 (Karuhatan Link) is a four-lane, 2.4-kilometer (1.5 mi) expressway that runs from Smart Connect Interchange to MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan, Valenzuela. It is the first segment of the NLEX Harbor Link project.[12] It begins at the Smart Connect 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 last 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 at MacArthur Highway.
Karuhatan to Navotas
(2018-03-19).jpg.webp)
NLEX Segment 10, 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 to C-3 Road in Caloocan, where two ramps carry it to the west for another 2.6 kilometers (1.6 mi) up to Radial Road 10 (R-10) in Navotas.[12] It is designated to provide access between Port of Manila and northern Luzon. Most of the road utilizes the existing railway right of way through Caloocan, Malabon, and Valenzuela, with the road rising as high as 19 meters (62 ft) to provide necessary clearance for the elevated Manila–Clark Railway of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
Segment 10 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 railway right-of-way where it rises up to provide necessary ground clearance for the viaduct carrying the future Manila–Clark Railway. It then crosses Tullahan River, where it enters Malabon. It then enters Caloocan, where past Samson Road and the PNR rolling stock shops in Caloocan, it shifts to the right of the railway right of way, which also required demolition of numerous houses and buildings, including a local wet market. An exit to C-3 Road could then be found before meeting the Caloocan Interchange, where the expressway veers west as the C-3–R-10 spur alignment with connection to the future NLEX Connector (NLEX-SLEX Connector Road) that would run south towards the city of Manila. The 2.6-kilometer (1.6 mi) C-3–R-10 spur alignment runs above C-3 Road, where a westbound exit ramp towards Dagat-Dagatan Avenue could be found. It then crosses the Navotas River and enters Navotas, where it veers southeast towards Radial Road 10 and ends at the Navotas Interchange, which provides access to the Port of Manila via Mel Lopez Boulevard.
At the Navotas Interchange, the expressway has a possible future connection to the proposed NLEX–CAVITEX Port Expressway Link or Harbor Link Port Access Mobility Facility towards Manila–Cavite Expressway or Anda Circle, respectively.[13][14]
Future
Segment 8.2 (NLEX C-5 Link)
NLEX Segment 8.2, also named NLEX C-5 Link,[12] will be an 8.35-kilometer (5.19 mi)[2][15] segment part of the NLEX Harbor Link Project that will connect the existing NLEX Segment 8.1 (Mindanao Avenue Link) to Luzon Avenue and Congressional Avenue Extension, the present components of C-5. The planned segment will at first run parallel to Republic Avenue before making a southward turn to Luzon Avenue after which it will then connect to Commonwealth Avenue. The segment will include two interchanges in Mindanao and Regalado Avenues, a roundabout connection at Congressional Avenue, and three local road crossings at Quirino Highway, Sauyo Road, and Chestnut Avenue.[16][17] It was initially planned to be a 11.5-kilometer (7.1 mi) expressway segment that would also cross Commonwealth Avenue and end at the intersection of C. P. Garcia and Katipunan Avenues.[12][18]
Exits

Province | City/Municipality | km | mi | Exit | Name | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quezon City | ![]() | Future eastern end of expressway | |||||
Regalado[18] | Regalado Avenue | ||||||
Valenzuela | Mindanao Avenue | ![]() | Current eastern terminus; current eastern end of C-5 concurrency | ||||
Mindanao toll plaza (westbound only) | |||||||
Mindanao toll plaza expansion (westbound only; exclusively for Class 1) | |||||||
Smart Connect Interchange | ![]() ![]() | Cloverleaf interchange with collector lanes | |||||
Parada | Parada, Maysan | Westbound exit only | |||||
Gen. T. De Leon | Gen. T. de Leon | Eastbound exit only | |||||
Karuhatan toll plaza (eastbound only) | |||||||
Karuhatan | ![]() | Diamond interchange; northern end of C-5 concurrency | |||||
Malabon | No major junctions | ||||||
Caloocan | C-3 Road | ![]() | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
Caloocan Interchange | NLEX Connector | Directional T interchange; veers west to C-3–R-10 segment; link to the future NLEX Connector | |||||
Malabon (Dagat-Dagatan) | Dagat-Dagatan Avenue – Caloocan, Malabon | Westbound exit and future eastbound entrance[19] | |||||
Navotas | ![]() ![]() | Future westbound exit and eastbound entrance[20] | |||||
Navotas Interchange (C-3–R-10 Ramp)[20] | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- "2015 DPWH Road Data". Department of Public Works and Highways. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- "NLEX HARBOR LINK PROJECT (Segments 8.1, 8.2, 9 & 10)". Department of Public Works and Highways. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
- "MNTC starts construction of roads connecting NLEX from all directions". GMA News and Public Affairs. April 2, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
- "NLEX's Segment 8.1 opens today, June 5" (Press release). Manila North Tollways Corporation. June 5, 2010. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
- "PGMA inaugurates P2.1-B NLEX-Mindanao Avenue Link". Philippines News Agency. June 5, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
- Reyes, Mary Ann L.L. (July 12, 2015). "Seamless travel". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
- Mangunay, Kristine Felisse; Montecillo, Paolo G. (February 13, 2013). "NLEx Harbor Link expressway breaks ground; new road seen to ease Metro traffic". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
- "NLEX concessionaire breaks ground for Harbor Link Segment 10". TopGear Philippines. March 4, 2014.
- Unite, Betheena (February 28, 2020). "Harbor Link Segment 10 finally opens". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- Rey, Aika (February 22, 2020). "NLEX Harbor Link Malabon Exit open to motorists". Rappler. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- "NLEX opens latest Harbor Link section". CNN Philippines. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- "Concessions". NLEX Corporation. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- Mercurio, Richmond (March 2, 2020). "NLEX keen on Port Expressway Link project". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- Mercurio, Richmond (February 14, 2020). "Construction to start soon on Harbor Link extension". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Road and Bridge Inventory". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- "MNTC | Projects". Manila North Tollways Corporation. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Silip sa Sauyo at Proyektong NLEX 8.2". Manila Today (in Filipino). September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- "NLEX-C5 (Segment 8.2) North Link Project" (PDF). Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Division. August 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- "NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section Progress Video (as of June 1, 2020)". YouTube. June 1, 2020.
- Patinio, Ferdinand (June 15, 2020). "NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 section now open to motorists". Philippine News Agency.