SMC to install more radar speed detectors in its toll road network

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is beefing up road safety through the installation of more radar speed detectors along its toll road network.

San Miguel Holdings Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang said the measure would ensure safe travel along the South Luzon expressway (SLEX), Skyway, Star Tollway, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union expressway (TPLEX).

“This is just part of our continuing effort to invest in improvements and technology to provide a much safer environment for motorists plying the road networks we operate. Of course, to truly ensure safely, we all need to do our share in following the rules of the road,” Ang said.

Radar speed detectors have been proven to be more effective in capturing speed data in open stretches of roadways. Currently, the road networks utilize LIDAR gun for speed enforcement

According to Ang, the SMC unit would use a combination of Radar and Lidar speed detectors to measure vehicle speed in various conditions.

He added that radar detectors are expected to enhance ongoing traffic and road safety efforts as it could provide accurate speed and traffic analysis even during nighttime and poor driving conditions.

Likewise, the company has opened more exact toll lanes at toll plazas on its road networks to further improve the flow of traffic and help reduce long waiting times at cash toll booths especially during peaks hours and months.

Dedicated lanes for exact toll payments have been installed at Nichols A, Nichols B, Skyway A, and Skyway B to complement the existing e-pass toll collection system and the soon-to-be-introduced RFID system.

SMC has been focusing on toll road projects including the P15.5-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) expressway project through Vertex Tollways Development Inc., the P24-billion Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union expressway (TPLEX) through Philippine Infrastructure Development Corp. (PIDC), and the P26.5- billion Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 project via Citra Central Expressway Corp. (CCEC).

SMC has also interest in the Metro Manila Skyway through Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp., SLEX, and Star Tollway .

The company has successfully convinced Malacañang to order the rebidding of P35.4 billion Cavite – Laguna expressway (CALAX) after its unit Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. (OIDI) was disqualified by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) last June.

The DPWH has set the floor price at P20.015 billion and has given interested bidders until May 19 to submit technical and financial proposals for the Malacanang-mandated rebidding.

SMC through San Miguel Holdings was one of the four groups that submitted qualification documents for the P123 billion Laguna Lakeshore expressway dike project to the DPWH last Feb. 27.