The tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is building expressways in Luzon and Visayas worth over P150 billion in the next three years.
Among the expressway projects in the pipeline are the P23.3-billion NLEx-SLEx Connector Road, the P55.9-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway and the P11.7-billion Cavitex C5 South Link to link expressways in the north and south of Manila.
The company has also started construction of the P27.9-billion Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in the Visayas.
MPTC is increasing the capacity of NLEx by constructing additional lanes and exits, and expanding toll plazas and interchanges.
MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco told reporters these “big projects” were set to start this year and next year.
“With these projects in the pipeline, we will see a great improvement in traffic decongestion in Metro Manila as we embark on more infrastructure projects to connect the North and the South,” Franco added.
The projects are expected to be completed in three to four years.
Franco said the company expects a 15-percent increase in vehicle traffic this coming Holy Week for NLEx and Cavitex.
The daily traffic at NLEX currently stands at 250,000 and 135,000 for Cavitex.
For those going north, heavy volume of vehicles is expected in the afternoon of April 12 until the late morning of April 13. Those traveling back to Manila may expect the surge in traffic in the afternoon of April 15 until the early morning of April 17.
From April 7 to 17, additional patrol vehicles and enforcers will be deployed to assist motorists. Ambulant toll tellers equipped with portable toll collection gadgets will be fielded to speed up toll transactions. Also during this period, road works will be suspended to ensure smooth traffic flow.
To better serve motorists, on April 7, 8, 12, and 13, the Balintawak Toll Plaza will open a maximum of 30 toll collection points instead of the usual 16, and the Mindanao Avenue Toll Plaza will also increase its toll collection points to 15 from 5.
Toll collection points in Tarlac Toll Plaza will become 29 instead of 5, while the Tipo Toll Plaza will have 12 toll collection points instead of 4.
Southbound motorists may also experience further convenience from April 15 to 16 as the Bocaue Toll Plaza opens a maximum of 53 toll collection points.
On April 12 to 16, MPTC and its partners will provide free services such as free calls and Wi-Fi, free basic mechanic services and first aid treatments in designated locations along NLEx, SCTEx and CAVITEx.
Free towing services to the nearest exit will be offered to Class 1 vehicles from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Free drinking water will also be available at SMSK Motorist Camps in SCTEX PTT Station, Floridablanca lay-by, Seaoil Station and CAVITEx Parañaque and Kawit toll plazas.
