Measures up to ease North Luzon-bound traffic

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The average vehicular traffic load of the North Luzon Expressway — about 20 vehicles per minute — is expected to triple this afternoon as Metro Manilans trek up north for the Holy Week holidays.

Authorities, however, have been put in place measures to alleviate the expected traffic congestion despite ongoing civil works along the expressway.

"We have mapped out several scenarios, including the partial use of the southbound lane for traffic to the north," said engineer Paciano Mutuc, chief of the North Luzon Tollway of the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC).

"Motorists can expect to see appropriate signboards in the area of the Sta. Rita exit, informing them about where they can use counterflow lanes," he said.

On ordinary days, Mutuc said 20 vehicles enter the expressway per minute. This volume is expected to double during the Holy Week, and could even triple this afternoon when more people from Metro Manila head up north, he added.

Traffic congestion has been a complaint along the stretch from Valenzuela to Burol, Guiguinto, Bulacan since the $371-million, two-year project to upgrade the expressway started over a month ago, initially on the northbound lane.

Mutuc said the shoulder of the northbound lane would be open to motorists for the holidays. At exit points along the way, space for vehicles awaiting their turn to exit would be made narrower by traffic cones so as to provide more space for those headed north.

"We expect lesser problems toward San Fernando, but if the situation gets worse, we would extend access to the counterflow lane from Balintawak to points even farther north," Mutuc said.

Mutuc, however, said the upgrading project would proceed, but only in peripheral areas that would not impede traffic flow.

"Work on the project would involve 6,000 workers who would be working 24 hours daily, seven days a week, including holidays," said Jose de Jesus, president and chief executive officer of the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) during the recent groundbreaking ceremonies in Barangay Panipuan in Mexico, Pampanga, where a new entry and exit point would also be constructed. — With James Mananghaya