Skyway & SLEX operators gear up for Holy Week, Araw ng Kagitingan traffic
The Skyway O&M Corporation (SOMCO) and Manila Toll Expressway System, Inc. (MATES), operators of the Skyway System and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) respectively, gear up for the rush of motorists who will go to places south of Metro Manila during Holy Week starting on Holy Wednesday, April 4, 2012, and return to Manila on either on Monday, April 9 which is a holiday (Araw ng Kagitingan) or Tuesday, April 10.
Under the Skyway/SLEX Oplan Ligtas na Kwaresma 2012, SOMCO will coordinate with the Metro Manila Development Authority, the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, local police stations units, radio communication and other support groups to address the anticipated increase in traffic volume at the Skyway System’s at-grade and elevated sections from Makati to Alabang and SLEX from Alabang to Sto. Tomas, Batangas. SOMCO and MATES will deploy additional traffic enforcers to provide security and assistance to distressed motorists. Automobile Association of the Philippines will station tow trucks in strategic locations of the tollway from Nichols Offsite to Calamba Interchange. A 50-tonner crane will also be on standby. The Lifeline Rescue medical team will be ready to respond to any emergency.
“Ligtas na Kwaresma” stations will also be put up in Nichols southbound (SB) direction, C-5 Offsite and Sucat northbound (NB) direction and will operate from 12 noon to 9pm on April 4, 2012; from 6am to 9pm on April 5 – 8, and from 6am to 10pm on April 9. Drinking and radiator water, and latrine facilities will be provided in these stations.
At SLEX, MATES will be closely coordinating security arrangements with the security officers of Shell, Petron, Caltex and Total service stations along SLEX from April 4 to 9. Intensified patrol operations on the SB direction will start on April 4 from 2pm up until traffic normalized; on April 5, 6, 7 and 8 from 5am onward until traffic normalized. To manage traffic and assist motorists returning to Manila on April 9 and 10, intensified patrol operations on the NB direction will start at 6am up until traffic normalized. MATES also advises SB motorists to anticipate queueing at the toll plaza approaches of Carmona, Sta. Rosa, Calamba A and B and Ayala Greenfield from April 4 to April 8. Similarly, on April 9 and 10, NB motorists may experience delays at the Ayala Greenfield, Calamba and Filinvest toll plazas.
TOLL DISCOUNT ON SKYWAY-NAIA EXPRESSWAY
The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) executive director Atty. Edmund O. Reyes Jr. today said the Board welcomes the proposal of Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (CMMTC) and the Skyway O&M Corporation (SOMCO) to implement a toll fee discount on the Skyway-NAIA Expressway as a public service to motorists in connection with the scheduled road repair of the Sales Bridge to start in mid-March 2012. Traffic build-up is expected to be heavy at the NAIA ramp area when the Department of Public Works and Highways starts repairing the Sales Bridge.
The TRB, an attached agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), lauded the initiative of CMMTC and SOMCO in extending said toll fee discount to motorists for a duration of three (3) months. Starting March 19, 2012, CMMTC/SOMCO will charge a discounted rate of P20 to motorists driving Class 1 vehicles (cars, PUJ, pick-ups and vans) instead of P35, and P40 to those driving Class 2 vehicles (light trucks, tourist/school/public utility buses) instead of P70.
In line with the government’s ‘Kayo ang Boss’ principle, DOTC/TRB continues to work with various organizations to provide better and more convenient transport system.
