Heavy traffic seen along expressways this weekend

MANILA, Philippines – Infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is expecting the volume of vehicles passing through major expressways including the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) to increase by as much as 15 percent this weekend.

The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC), PEA Tollway Corp. (PEATC), and Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) are implementing programs to assist motorists and ease traffic, as Filipinos will be flocking to the provinces for the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.

In a joint statement, the MPIC said traffic is expected to increase between 10 percent and 15 percent along NLEX and SCTEX.

MPTC is the largest toll road operator in the country, accounting for 63 percent of the total 320 kilometers of toll road. It is the parent company of MNTC and TMC.

MNTC said heavy volume is expected during the afternoons from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 at the Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue, and Dau toll plazas, as well as at Bocaue toll plaza of NLEX, as motorists return to Metro Manila between Nov. 1 and Nov. 3.

Ambulant tellers will be on standby at the Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue and Dau toll plazas on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and at the Bocaue toll plaza from Nov. 1 to 3.

To ensure the safety of motorists, additional traffic management and security personnel will be deployed from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3.

Data showed the daily average volume of vehicles using NLEX grew seven percent to 185,267 in the first half of the year from 173,175 in the same period last year.

A motorist assistance program dubbed “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” will be implemented from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 to provide first aid treatments and basic mechanic services to motorists along NLEX and SCTEX.

The volume of vehicles using the SCTEX is also expected to increase between 10 percent and 15 percent.

Heavy volume is expected at the Mabalacat entry and at the La Paz (Tarlac), San Miguel and Tipo exits from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, as well as at the Mabalacat interchange from Nov. 1 to 3.

Starting today until Nov. 3, all road works along NLEX and SCTEX are suspended.

MPIC sees a lower traffic volume along the Manila-Cavite toll expressway during the holiday, as most of the travellers are in the provinces.

The volume of traffic along Cavitex rose eight percent to 109,929 in the first semester of the year from 101,908 in the same period last year.