CLARK FREEPORT – Yuletide hegira to the provinces is now expected to swell north-bound traffic by 15 to 20 percent at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), at least up to the afternoon of this Friday, Dec. 24.
On the other hand, south-bound traffic along the two expressways would also peak as much on Jan. 2 and 3, as vacationers from Metro Manila return home and province-based students head back to the metropolis for the opening of classes past the Christmas holidays.
“Traffic along NLEx and SCTEx is now becoming heavier as Christmas Day draws nearer,” announced Kiko Dagonoy, media specialist of the Tollways Management Corporation (TMC), operator of the two expressways.
Dagohoy said “NLEx and SCTEx are expecting traffic to build up until the afternoon of Friday December 24. On the other hand the heavy volume of vehicles going back to Manila is seen on January 2 and 3. TMC estimates traffic to go up by 15 to 20 percent from the daily average of vehicles during the holidays.”
But he assured motorists that TMC has already put in place enough manpower to help them and ensure smooth traffic flow.
“Ambulant tellers will be deployed at the Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue and Dau toll plazas to facilitate lane transactions. Spare lanes will also be used to shorten the queue of vehicles during peak periods. The Bocaue toll plaza will also have ambulant tellers on January 2 and 3 in anticipation of the heavy volume of vehicles going back to Manila on these dates,” he said.
Dagohoy said that “in order to keep the road safe and traffic to flow smoothly, NLEx traffic operations department will deploy 10 patrol vehicles at any given time, but will be stationary in strategic areas to deter unsafe driving of some motorists, except when patrol personnel is on intervention.”
“Motorcycle riders and roving patrol vehicles will also be ready to assist in the Interchanges in case of traffic build up,” he added.
“At SCTEx, the same level of service can be expected. Sufficient manpower and equipment will also be deployed by traffic and toll operations personnel to ensure fast and smooth travel of motorists going to Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan and Subic Bay,” he noted.
Dagohoy also said that “with the experience of TMC in the past holidays, the manpower and equipment that will be deployed are sufficient to ensure safe, fast and comfortable travel inside the expressways.
He also advised motorists to keep TMC telephone numbers for assistance and inquiries. The hotline number for NLEx is (02) 580-8910, while the hotline number for SCTEx is (0920) 9672839. Operators will be on stand-by to answer calls 24 hours a day during the holidays.
On the other hand, south-bound traffic along the two expressways would also peak as much on Jan. 2 and 3, as vacationers from Metro Manila return home and province-based students head back to the metropolis for the opening of classes past the Christmas holidays.
“Traffic along NLEx and SCTEx is now becoming heavier as Christmas Day draws nearer,” announced Kiko Dagonoy, media specialist of the Tollways Management Corporation (TMC), operator of the two expressways.
Dagohoy said “NLEx and SCTEx are expecting traffic to build up until the afternoon of Friday December 24. On the other hand the heavy volume of vehicles going back to Manila is seen on January 2 and 3. TMC estimates traffic to go up by 15 to 20 percent from the daily average of vehicles during the holidays.”
But he assured motorists that TMC has already put in place enough manpower to help them and ensure smooth traffic flow.
“Ambulant tellers will be deployed at the Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue and Dau toll plazas to facilitate lane transactions. Spare lanes will also be used to shorten the queue of vehicles during peak periods. The Bocaue toll plaza will also have ambulant tellers on January 2 and 3 in anticipation of the heavy volume of vehicles going back to Manila on these dates,” he said.
Dagohoy said that “in order to keep the road safe and traffic to flow smoothly, NLEx traffic operations department will deploy 10 patrol vehicles at any given time, but will be stationary in strategic areas to deter unsafe driving of some motorists, except when patrol personnel is on intervention.”
“Motorcycle riders and roving patrol vehicles will also be ready to assist in the Interchanges in case of traffic build up,” he added.
“At SCTEx, the same level of service can be expected. Sufficient manpower and equipment will also be deployed by traffic and toll operations personnel to ensure fast and smooth travel of motorists going to Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan and Subic Bay,” he noted.
Dagohoy also said that “with the experience of TMC in the past holidays, the manpower and equipment that will be deployed are sufficient to ensure safe, fast and comfortable travel inside the expressways.
He also advised motorists to keep TMC telephone numbers for assistance and inquiries. The hotline number for NLEx is (02) 580-8910, while the hotline number for SCTEx is (0920) 9672839. Operators will be on stand-by to answer calls 24 hours a day during the holidays.
