One lane of both southbound and northbound directions of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) along Valenzuela has been closed to traffic until second week of December this year to give way to its Phase 2 - Segment 8.1 expansion project.

Rodrigo Franco, president of Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), NLEX builder and concessionaire, assured motorists that "traffic will continue to flow smoothly along Valenzuela as three more southbound and northbound lanes can be used by the motorists. In addition, all precautionary measures such as deployment of traffic enforcers and display of enough warning signs have been taken to ensure the safe and smooth flow of traffic along the expressway."

Motorists are advised to slow down as they approach the expansion site for safety reasons. Specifically, they are asked to decelerate from 100 to 80 kilometers per hour a kilometer away from the site and down to 40 kilometers some 500 meters from the bridge center pier.

Franco said the bridge center pier will be completed before the onset of the holiday season as traffic volume is expected to increase in December.

The construction is part of NLEX's Phase 2- Segment 8.1 expansion project connecting Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City to Valenzuela City. NLEX Phase 2 is the first expansion program of the 84-kilometer toll road.

Segment 8.1 at a cost of P2.1 billion, is the first step toward completing the entire Phase 2 project. This will enable the northbound motorists from the eastern part of Metro Manila direct entry into the main NLEX - bypassing the high density areas approaching the Balintawak toll plaza in Caloocan City.