Lingunan Exit opens today, July 11, at the South Bound portion of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), providing the seventh access road to an estimated 13,000 vehicles coming to and from Valenzuela City daily via the expressway.

The new exit will provide an alternate route for a more convenient travel to Valenzuela City and is expected to decongest traffic on frequently accessed Paso de Blas-Maysan Road Exit, as well as, the Karuhatan Exit.

The project is a joint initiative of the City Government of Valenzuela, the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) and the private sector.  Landowners of John Wilter Land, North Gate Corporation and Flashbuilt donated parts of their 10-hectare industrial land and the development of the exit ramp at their common expenses.

The project shall benefit residents and those transacting business in seven barangays in the city, namely, the barangays of Lingunan, Lawang Bato, Punturin, Veinte Reales, Dalandanan, Canumay West, Canumay East and Paso de Blas.

MNTC President Rodrigo Franco lauded the city government’s responsive efforts in catering to the needs of the community. With the opening of the Lingunan Exit, Valenzuela cemented its status as the city with the most number of exits and major entry points and interchanges. The city currently has seven (7) exits, the ones in Paso de Blas, Lawang Bato, Karuhatan, Parada, M. de los Reyes (Gen. T. de Leon), Maysan, and the newly-opened Lingunan exit.  The major entry roads in the city include the Paso de Blas toll gate, Karuhatan toll gate and Mindanao Avenue toll gate located at Barangay Ugong.

The MNTC executive also pointed out that the development of the new exit will further stimulate commerce and growth in the host communities within the city. He also cited the Lawang Bato Overpass, the past project of then-Mayor, now Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, as an effective joint project of the public and private sector in decongesting the traffic in Valenzuela Interchanges.

Valenzuela City Mayor REX Gatchalian has asked MNTC to open two more additional exits in barangays of Mapulang Lupa and Parada in the coming months to further improve traffic in the area.  

The local government is currently developing the Bagong Filipino Road which will stretch from Lingunan to T. Santiago in Barangay Maysan and the Human Flyover for commuters coming from Mapulang Lupa and Paso de Blas. “Through the various infrastructure projects in partnership with the private sector, the local government commits in addressing the perennial problem of traffic in the city and making sure that the interest of daily commuters and motorists coming and out of Valenzuela will be prioritized”, said the city chief executive.