The resurgence in vehicle traffic at the north and south expressways may slow down if high fuel prices persist and COVID cases surge in the metropolis, according to the largest operator of toll road in the country.
“The June (traffic volume) exceeded our original projections. At least for the month of June, we haven’t felt the impact of the fuel price increase. For the first half, we have already exceeded the 2019 traffic volumes,” said Christopher Lizo, chief financial officer of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.
“For the first five days of July, we’ve seen a slowdown in traffic. We are just hoping that the impact is temporary. We saw that in June,” he added.
At end-June, MPTC recorded a five- to six-percent growth in traffic volume across its network.
MPTC, which operates the North Luzon Expressway, Manila Cavite Expressway, Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway and Cavite Laguna Expressway, recorded an average daily vehicle entries of 483,170 in 2021 from 388,820 in 2020.
Meanwhile, MPTC said the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange of CALAX is set to open in the latter part of the year. It will extend CALAX’ operational sections from Mamplasan, Laguna, to Aguinaldo Highway in Silang, Cavite.
The 3.9-kilometer 2×2 lane CALAX subsection has reached 56 percent completion. Part of the ongoing works includes drainage and bridge constructions, excavation and roadway earthworks and installation of fence and coco net.
“The Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange will help decongest the busiest highway in the province of Cavite―the 41-kilometer Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. Motorists from Manila going to the famous tourist destinations of Silang and Tagaytay, Cavite will surely benefit from this upcoming project as it offers convenience and shorter travel time.,” said Raul Ignacio, president and general manager of MPCALA Holdings Inc. (MHI).
Once operational, the Silang Aguinaldo Interchange, aside from the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road Interchange, will be a convenient alternative exit of CALAX for motorists coming from Metro Manila going to the country’s second summer capital, Tagaytay City. The interchange is 16 kilometers away from the city proper of Tagaytay via Aguinaldo Highway, and the travel time is around 20 minutes only.
Other interchanges of CALAX namely Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, and Kawit, are targeted to be completed by 2023. Currently, CALAX’s operational segment spans 14.24-kilometer with interchanges at Greenfield-Mamplasan, Laguna Technopark, Laguna Boulevard, Santa Rosa-Tagaytay, and Silang East. Upon completion of the entire CALAX project, it will connect to the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) in Kawit, Cavite.
CALAX is a 45-kilometer expressway, Public-Private Partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways as implementing agency, and with private proponent MPCALA, a subsidiary of MPTC, the toll road development arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.