Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
Wouldn’t it be nice to travel and ride on a continuous trip going north of Metro Manila with out the hassle of cueing and stopping at Toll Plazas of the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway?
Well, the long wait is over, and is coming sooner than expected. The Manila North Tollways Corporation or MNTC is set to complete the P650 million NLEX-SCTEX Integration Project this Holy Week, just in time for the traditional motorist trek out of the metropolis.
By reducing toll plaza stops to two instead of the usual five from Balintawak and Subic vice-versa. And two stops only from Balintawak to Tarlac and back.
Every year, the surge of vehicles passing through these expressways have risen in volume. Last year alone, the Holy Week traffic saw almost 230,000 vehicles used both expressways, for this period alone.
Marlene Ochoa, Vice President for Corporate Communications of MNTC, explained that they would be dismantling the Dau Toll Barrier Plaza and the Mabalacat Toll Gates, so motorist can go past thru direct towards the SCTEX-TIPO Toll Barrier near Subic and the La Paz Tarlac towards Pangasinan.
The integrated toll collection system shall also be enhanced since, there shall be only one collection made upon exit. The good news even further extends to users of the transponder Easy Trip. These electronic sensors now being used by over 150,000 motorists can use them even on the SCTEX. With sensors now being installed at the new toll plazas. Further, there shall no toll fees increased for this awesome upgrade, with more convenience for the riding public.
At most, travel time will be reduced, since the non-stop travel to the exit points would be faster. Breezing through barriers with ease.
By Ricky Velsaco photos by Neil Pagulayan