Toll roads ready for ‘undas’
Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) says its toll roads will be ready to handle the expected heavy vehicle volume on All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.
In a statement on Wednesday, SMC said Skyway O&M Corp. (Somco), operator of the Skyway system and Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway (Naiax), would roll out programs to ensure motorists’ safety and convenience.
The unit expects holiday traffic volume on the Skyway system and Naiax to increase significantly from Oct. 28 through Nov. 2.
Separately, SMC’s Manila Toll Expressway System Inc. (Mates) and Star Tollway Corp., operators of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) and Star Tollway, respectively, also expect traffic buildup at the northbound and southbound directions of their toll roads.
Additional traffic personnel will be deployed on Oct. 28, 29 and 31 at the southbound direction of the Skyway system and Naiax, the conglomerate said.
Focus will be placed on so-called choke points such as Doña Soledad Avenue and Dr. A. Santos Avenue, all the way to Loyola and Manila memorial parks, where heavy traffic is expected. Additional personnel will likewise be fielded as motorists return home on Nov. 1 and 2.
Moreover, Somco will install motorist assistance stations at the C5 Bridge/Merville area and C5 off-site southbound on Oct. 28 and 29.
Similar assistance stations will also be placed at the Sucat southbound exit on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
The company said it would coordinate its actions with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Police Office, local police units in the vicinities of the Skyway system, the Highway Patrol Group, and concerned local government units.
At SLEx, toll plazas expected to experience heavy traffic include the Filinvest northbound exit/southbound entries, Susana Heights northbound, Carmona northbound/southbound; the southbound exit plazas of Mamplasan, Sta. Rosa, Eton and Cabuyao, and the northbound/southbound exits of Calamba and Greenfields.
At the Star Tollway, motorists may experience long queues at the toll plazas of Sto. Tomas, Tanauan, Malvar, Balete, Lipa, Ibaan and Batangas City.
“The south tollway operators are advising motorists to plan their trips and keep their vehicles in excellent running condition to avoid stalling, overheating and other problems that may impact on their safety and that of other motorists,” San Miguel said.
