SMC toll roads ready for Holy Week rush

MANILA: SMC Infrastructure expressed the readiness of its expressways in anticipation for the surge of motorists this Holy Week.

In a statement, the firm shared that it has devised traffic management plans for the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).

Per SMC Infrastructure, its aforementioned plans were coordinated with concerned local government units.

With the expected heavy traffic to be experienced within the tollways, motorists are advised to plan their trips well.

“Our instruction to our operations personnel is to make sure that our traffic management plans are in sync with the different towns and cities so that traffic flows smoothly along public roads. When public roads are congested, motorists along our carriageways are also affected as traffic can extend to the exits and onto the main line,” SMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ramon Ang shared.

“We hope that through close and constant collaboration with traffic management teams of LGUs, we can help reduce traffic buildups especially at critical points of convergence within our towns and cities,” he added.

Among the company’s contingency measures are:

• Deployment of tollway personnel such as patrollers and emergency responders
• Halting of all roadworks and construction activities at expressways starting April 11 until April 21

In addition, motorists are reminded to make sure that their Autosweep Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) accounts have enough credits to avoid unnecessary queuing at toll plazas.

Those who have yet to register for an Autosweep RFID account, the company reiterated that stickers remain free of charge, and users can load the exact amount of toll they will use. Replacement of stickers which have deteriorated over time also remain free.

On the other hand, cash-paying motorists are urged to switch to Autosweep RFID electronic toll collection.

Moreover, SMC’s Lakbay Alalay initiative under Petron is also activated on major toll roads. Free motorist assistance, clean restrooms, and limited freebies from brand partners will also be experienced and handed out at Petron Marilao (North Luzon  Expressway [NLEX>), Petron San Pedro (SLEX), and Petron TPLEX northbound on April 16 and 17.

On April 20, Lakbay Alalay will be at Petron Bocaue (NLEX), Petron Kilometer 44 northbound, and TPLEX southbound.

Furthermore, SMC Infrastructure called on motorists to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

SMC’s at-grade or ground-level expressways have a maximum speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) for Class 1 vehicles, and 80 kph for Classes 2 and 3 vehicles. Elevated expressways such as the Skyway System and NAIA Expressway have a maximum speed limit of 80 kph, except at curved portions of the carriageway which have a 60 kph speed limit for safety reasons.

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