ANGELES CITY – With more Filipinos equipped with smartphones capable of accessing the internet anywhere, the Manila North Tollways has launched a Facebook social networking account to help motorists plying through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) this Christmas season.
This, even as the Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) warned motorists that northbound traffic is expected to build up the NLEX and SCTEX “in the early afternoon until late evening of December 23.”
On the other hand, southbound traffic is expected to peak in the afternoon of January 1 and morning of January 2.
Already, TMC has noted a five percent increase in the traffic volume in the past four weeks along the two expressways it operates.
“This trend will continue as we approach Christmas Day. As in previous years, the volume of vehicles is expected to be at its heaviest on December 23 when the estimated traffic volume could rise to 20 percent more than average, said TMC media specialist Kiko Dagohoy.
Dagohoy also announced that TMC has launched its Facebook account named “travel on great roads” which will provide “where hourly traffic updates will be posted during peak periods.”
A growing number of Filipinos now own smartphones which provide access to the Internet at all times in wide areas where there is telecom signal.
But the TMC is also maintaining hotlines accessible 24 hours a day for assistance and inquiries. These numbers are: (02) 580-8910 and 3-5000 for NLEX and (0920) 96-SCTEX (72839) for SCTEX.
“NLEX Toll Operations will beef up its manpower during the said dates. Ambulant tellers will be deployed at the Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue and Dau Toll Plazas to facilitate lane transactions,” Dagohoy said.
He also said “spare lanes will also be used to shorten queue of vehicles during peak periods. The Bocaue Toll Plaza will also deploy ambulant tellers on January 1 and 2 in anticipation of the heavy volume of vehicles going back to Manila on these dates.”
“In order to keep the road safe and traffic to flow smoothly, NLEX Traffic Operations will deploy ten stationary patrol vehicles in selected areas. Motorcycle riders and roving patrol vehicles will be ready to assist in interchanges in case of traffic build up,” he added.
TMC noted that “traffic is expected to build up at the Bocaue Toll Exit in the last week of December.”
“To manage this, TMC has already deployed additional manpower in the area beginning December 16. On top of the additional four traffic personnel, another team composed also of four personnel will be dispatched in case traffic becomes heavier.
The deployment of additional traffic personnel at the Bocaue Toll Exit is expected to be until January 15, 2012,” it also said.
TMC also said that at the SCTEX, traffic build at the Mabalacat Toll Plaza will peak on December 23 as well as December 29.
“The affected toll plazas will be adequately manned to address the influx of motorists. Manual and counter flow lanes will be placed at San Miguel and Tarlac Exits respectively to accommodate the high volume of traffic while Tipo Toll Plaza will also have standby manual lanes in the event that volume of motorists increases,” TMC added.
