Going beyond EDSA-specific traffic solutions
Afirst of two parts s we get to the ever-aggravating traff ic that visits us this time of the year, or the months leading to christmas, things are a bit more positive outside the coagulating metro. the manila north tollways corporation (MNTC), operator of the NLEX, SCTEX and SFEX, beefed up toll collection at bocaue ever since the SCTEX was integrated with the NLEX, resulting in the removal of the dau and mabalacat toll barriers. to handle even greater volumes, it commissioned the expanded bocaue toll barrier.
northbound travelers returning to metro manila, now hitting volumes of 280,000 per day on the critical “dia de los muertos” holidays, are aware that toll-paying queues can reach up to santa rita. now that bocaue is augmented to total 34 lanes, with fixed and mobile toll collectors per lane, we expected to see considerable relief in transit times starting nov. 2. by now, we hope that there would be a reduction in frequent rear-ender shunts this time of the year, as the NLEX expands the bulacan and pampanga segment into 3x3 carriageways. appended to this ongoing expansion is the upcoming fulfillment of the 1981 plan to have 2x2 carriageways all the way from balem to santa inez.
farther north, travelers to the ilocos region and baguio city no longer have to crawl back to the manila north road upon reaching urdaneta. TPLEX, in its continuous march northward, have opened the binalonan interchange, thus segregating traffic bound for western pangasinan, including manaoag shrine religious pilgrims, from those traveling farther north to baguio and ilocos.