SLEx roadwork suspended for All Saints’ Day

By Riza T. Olchondra
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–In anticipation of the exodus to and from Southern Luzon for All Saints’ Day, the South Luzon Tollway Corp. (SLTC) has deployed 24-hour maintenance and emergency teams at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) starting this Tuesday, according to an SLTC advisory.

The teams will have road equipment and supplies, including generators and fuel, according to the advisory. The SLTC has cancelled all personnel days-off to monitor the annual activity on All Saints’ Day dubbed “Oplan Kaluluwa,” it said.

All construction related activities which may affect traffic flow were suspended until Nov. 4 although normal worksite schedules will be observed in non-traffic areas, it said.

SLTC said that as of Oct. 27, SLEx contractor MTD Construction Phils. Inc, (MTDCPI) finished all preparations for the expected southbound exodus during the Halloween break. These measures include pavement repairs, construction of transitions lanes, asphalt patching and overlay of deteriorated sections, and provisions for emergency counterflows in case of unexpected traffic buildup.

Heaviest traffic is expected on Oct. 31 from 6 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m. and on Nov. 1, up to 10 a.m. Southbound traffic reached up to 153, 000 vehicles on the same day last year, the SLTC said.

The expected increase in traffic is expected within the five-kilometer stretch between Filinvest and San Pedro.

Normal traffic count in this section, even prior to the SLEx rehabilitation, has gone as high as 130, 000 southbound vehicles per day, tapering off to 100, 000 beyond San Pedro, the SLTC said.

PNCC and MTD traffic managers agree this volume far exceeds the carrying capacity of the currently four-lane highway. The SLEx rehabilitation project includes widening the roadway to eight lanes up to Sta. Rosa, the SLTC said.

The SLTC said road conditions were better now and would improve with the weather. Sunny days in the past two weeks had allowed MTDCPI to finish its work and reopen lanes in the critical Filinvest to San Pedro section and other congestion-prone areas.

Weather permitting, work will continue in areas where workmen and equipment will not disturb motorists, it added.

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