Luzon tollway traffic to rise 5%

METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corp. (MPTC) expects traffic across its Luzon toll network to rise by as much as 5% this holiday season as the Pangilinan-led operator prepares to waive toll fees on Christmas and New Year.

“Our goal this holiday season is to have motorists spend less time on the road and more time with their families… We have prepared early, deployed full manpower, and have initiated barrier-up operations, counterflow measures, free towing services, and toll-free passage,” Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and MPTC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a media release on Thursday.

MPTC, the tollway arm of MPIC, is preparing for the expected traffic surge this upcoming holiday with the deployment of its full manpower, and other initiatives like free towing services, and toll-free passage, barrier-up operations to allow safer and more convenient travel for motorists.

MPTC said its average vehicle across its network in Luzon is currently at 688,000.

All roadworks and lane closures will also be suspended from 6 a.m. on Dec. 19 until noon of Jan. 5, except for emergency safety repairs, MPTC said, adding that additional traffic, toll and emergency and medical response teams will also be deployed.

MPTC is the operator of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX).

It said that MPTC is waiving toll fees on NLEX, SCTEX, NLEX Connector, CAVITEX, and CALAX on Dec. 24 at 10 p.m., until Dec. 25, at 6 a.m.; and Dec. 31 at 10 p.m., and Jan. 1, at 6 a.m.

MPTC is the tollways unit of MPIC, one of three key Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., along with Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

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