New road link solution to looming ‘carmageddon’
NLEX Board Director Levy P. Laus briefs Pampanga based mediamen on the ongoing improvements and problems facing motorists using the NLEx as he announced the plant to construct the Sto. Tomas Entry/Exit to ease traffic along Jose Abad Santos Avenue. With him are veteran broadcaster Perry Pangan and Sun.Star Pampanga columnist Max Sangil.—
Chris Navarro
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - “In five to seven years, the Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA) will experience moderate to heavy traffic unless we push through with the opening of proposed North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Sto. Tomas town exit.”
Thus said NLEx Board Director and Laus Group of Companies Chairman Chief Executive Officer Levy P. Laus during a luncheon get together with Pampanga mediamen at Dencio’s Restaurant at the LausGroup Complex here yesterday.
Laus said that a heavier traffic situation looms at the major thoroughfare with all the fast development that is happening in this capital city and the whole of Pampanga.
He stressed that the approval of the opening of an interchange in nearby Sto. Tomas town is very ideal to prevent the foreseen “carmageddon” or serious traffic jams which results from a major road being closed down.
With the opening of the interchange, Laus said that motorists will have another route option and will decrease the heavy volume of vehicles traversing JASA and other busy thoroughfares in this capital city.
“As of now, the NLEx board has already approved the opening of the exit. It is just up to the Department of Public Works and Highways to implement the road works leading to the exit in Barangay Sto. Rosario Pau,” he sai d.
The pending construction of the said interchange, which is some four kilometers away from both San Fernando and San Simon exits, is part of the Phase 3 project connecting San Simon exit to Dinalupihan, Bataan, and he hopes that it will be approved.
The project aimed at decongesting the existing tollways in San Simon town and City of San Fernando are now considered crowded, with some 5,000 dump trucks hauling sand from Pampanga quarries utilizing it, aside from the private and public vehicles that use it on a regular basi s.
The new road project will also be augmented by another proposed national highway road network with an initial budget of P304-million which will connect the eastern portion of the City of San Fernando. It will also traverse MacArthur Highway and the interior towns of Sto. Tomas, Minalin, Apalit, Macabebe and Masantol via the Pasac-Culcul national highway.