MPTC expects traffic surge during Holy Week rush

The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is expecting a spike in vehicle volume along expressways due to the Holy Week rush. The toll company said that traffic in its expressways is seen to increase by 10 to 15 percent. 

Vehicle volume is expected to increase along NLEX

MPTC oversees several expressways in the Philippines such as North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), C5 Link, and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX). 

NLEX Corp. president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said that NLEX has an average vehicle volume of around 410,000. Bautista shared that the average volume is projected to go up by about 470,000 during the Holy Week, which is around a 10 to 15 percent increase.  

CAVITEX, on the other hand, is seen to have a 10 percent increase in vehicle volume during the Holy Week. CAVITEX president and general manager Roberto V. Bontia shared that the additional 10 percent will be added to that daily vehicle volume average of around 152,000.   

The spike in vehicle volume is also seen in CALAX as MPTC expects that the daily traffic will be over 30,000 vehicles per day during the Holy Week exodus. 

MPTC is ready for the Holy Week exodus

MPTC president Rodrigo Franco shared that the company is ready for the upcoming “blockbuster week for travel.” Franco noted that the less stringent travel restrictions are one of the factors as to why MPTC is expecting a significant spike in vehicle volume this Holy Week. He added that the company has already anticipated such a scenario, prompting MPTC to beef up its personnel.

As such, the MPTC has activated its “Safe Trip Mo Sagot Ko” (SMSK) campaign along NLEX, SCTEX, CAVITEX, C5 LINK, and CALAX. The SMSK is MPTC’s motorist assistance program that aims to give motorists a safer and more comfortable journey. It will run until April 18, 2022. 

Additional personnel are deployed

The SMSK includes the increased deployment of patrol crews, traffic marshals, security teams, and toll plaza personnel to ensure safety, and provide immediate assistance to motorists. 

Emergency medical services and incident response teams will also be augmented and will be stationed at strategic areas of the expressways. For this year, the SMSK program will also provide free towing to the nearest exit for Class 1 vehicles, from April 13 (6:00 a.m) to April 18 (6:00 a.m.).

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