Off to a running start

No longer does a change of administration equate to a halt in the continuity of the previous administration’s ongoing infrastructure projects.

As the NAIA Skyway nears completion, emergency powers may be needed for the acquisition of road right-of-way (RROW) for the coming C-5 to CAVITEx toll way link to be made by Metro Pacific tollways. The route passes through Moonwalk, Merville, and the NAIA runway perimeter fence. Included in Metro Pacific’s plans is the extension of CAVITEx to Kawit so this would connect with the CALAx that leads to Mamplasan SLEx. These projects will surely need presidential intervention for faster right-of-way acquisition.

Further south, SLEx is adding more tollgates at some interchanges and continuing the upgrade of Susanna Heights interchange to help improve traffic flow now that motorists on MCX traffic are fully integrated into SLEx’s traffic stream. MCX, having just reached its first anniversary, has shown that the Ayala infrastructure group is rather quick to respond to suggestions as MCX’s road way and toll plaza mast flood lighting is now fully equipped with LEDs. Ditto for the guardrails and reflectors by the edge of the road.

With Vice-President Leni Robredo regularly taking the bus to Naga, Camarines Sur on weekends, we can presume that she does not fail to appreciate how the partially completed DPWH diversion road from San Juan, Batangas to Candelaria, Quezon has redirected private motorist traffic away from the perennially congested old highway.

With AutoSweep RFID stickers well integrated in the South Tollways ETC, or electronic toll collection, system, we cannot help but lament the passing of the pioneering e-Pass system that allowed one to transfer the e-Pass tag from one vehicle to another. If you recall, e-Pass lost to RFID AutoSweep because the e-Pass tags cost more than the first 200,000 AutoSweep stickers, which were all free.

Excepting the internecine conflict between South Tollway partners San Miguel Infrastructure and Citra Metro Manila tollways, e- Pass could have continued if Capstone only charged a refundable security deposit for the e-Pass tag so as to draw equal to AutoSweep’s costs.