NLEX Corporation and the City of Meycauayan have officially opened the new F. Raymundo Exit in Brgy. Pandayan for class 1 vehicles and completed the widening of the Meycauayan Northbound Exit Ramp, both seen to ease the recurrent traffic at NLEX Meycauayan area, especially during peak hours and holidays.
“We are very happy to announce the opening of these two projects that will help decongest the Meycauayan Northbound. We are positive that these will improve our motorists’ travel experience now that they have an additional and alternative route going to the eastern portions of the City of Meycauayan and Marilao,” said NLEX Corporation president and general manager J. Luigi Bautista.
For now, the new F. Raymundo Exit is only accessible for class 1 vehicles but is expected to cater to class 2 and 3 vehicles once the Meycauayan LGU completes the widening and upgrading works at F. Raymundo and Antonio streets. As the new exit will serve as an alternate route for those bound for Iba/Camalig, Metrogate, Lias, Lambakin, and Pantoc, F. Raymundo and Antonio Streets will be “one-way” streets serving eastbound traffic only. This will reduce volume at the Meycauayan interchange and make traffic flow more organized.
On the other hand, the additional lane in the Meycauayan Northbound Exit ramp will serve as the new dedicated lane for Malhacan-bound vehicles while the leftmost and middle lanes will be assigned for those going to Iba/Camalig, providing additional space for the high volume of trucks going to the industrial areas.
Under a traffic management cooperation agreement, NLEX and the City of Meycauayan will join forces in manning the area with traffic personnel and marshals.
In July 2023, NLEX commissioned a traffic mobility and decongestion study, which showed that the rapid economic growth in the city brings high traffic demand. Thus, the expansion of the northbound exit ramp and construction of the new F. Raymundo exit was one of the traffic solutions that could help provide immediate relief from the congestion in NLEX Meycauayan.
“The road to progress is a two-way street. Even as we build up our credibility as public service providers and undertake sustained growth to improve the quality of life in Meycauayan, our success hinges on all our sectors and stakeholders joining us in an active partnership. I am glad that in the literal sense, NLEX is already a partner in our road to progress as they keep up with industry demands as the artery for our city’s access to the wider trade and markets,” said City of Meycauayan Mayor Henry Villarica.
Furthermore, the tollway company also consistently looks for ways to boost the safety and convenience of its motorists. Several projects were done to address the city’s increasing traffic demand, including the opening of additional exits at Brgy. Libtong Northbound and Brgy. Pandayan Southbound and the expansion of the southbound toll plaza. In 2021, a portion of NLEX right-of-way was used to open the two-lane Meycauayan East Service Road connecting Libtong in Meycauayan City and Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City, which was then extended to Marilao in 2022, providing alternative routes going in and out of Valenzuela, Meycauayan, and Marilao.