Solve NLEx Traffic Clutter, DILG Chief Urges Executives

GO BACK TO THE OLD NORMAL The North Luzon Expressway-Balintawak Toll Plaza has opened cash lines following electronic toll collection failures. —CHILD JESUS ​​ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines – Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Sunday urged local Valenzuela city officials and executives from the toll road operator on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) to speak up and find a solution to the monstrous vehicular congestion on the highway caused by the introduction of electronic systems. Toll.

In a radio interview, Year said the local government and NLEx Corp. should have planned together to change the cash payment at toll booths to avoid inconvenience to the public.

“Our local CEOs and local government[s] they have a mandate to protect the public interest, welfare and safety. So they exercise that if their constituents are affected, ”Year said, indicating his support for Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian’s decision to suspend the commercial permit for NLEx Corp. on December 7, which opened the toll gates and allowed the free flow of vehicular traffic.

‘Toll vacation’

The city government also declared a “toll holiday,” stopping NLEx Corp.’s collection at the stands.

For years, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) had been trying to modernize toll collection on highways, but the system had never been perfected. But when toll collectors became infected with the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, DOTr made the switch to electronic toll collection mandatory as of December 1, even though toll road operators did not have proof-proof systems. failures.

The result had been a kilometer of queue on the highways because the tags and the radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors were not working. In Valenzuela, Año said that “the Earth stopped” when the moorings stopped commerce on the toll road that runs through the center of the city.

“They (the local government and NLEx Corp.) should sit down, talk and find a common solution rather than just imposing what they want when it would really affect ordinary citizens,” he said.

Executives from Gatchalian and NLEx Corp. were supposed to meet on Dec. 9, but the mayor canceled the meeting after an official from the turnpike operator, speaking in a radio interview, suggested challenging the government’s decision. local in court.

Another meeting between the two parties was scheduled for Monday.

Year suggested that NLEx Corp. designate lanes for vehicles without RIFD decals, particularly freight vehicles from the provinces that transport goods to Metro Manila.

“Let us understand the plight of ordinary motorists. We can’t just set a deadline for this, ”the interior affairs chief said, suggesting a deal with the calls to delay the implementation of electronic toll collection until next year while highway operators fix problems with their systems.

Valenzuela’s proposals

Gatchalian said Sunday that he planned to propose solutions that he hoped NLEx Corp. could apply to end congestion on the highway.

It said it would flag conditions on the turnpike before and during the toll and submit motorist complaints to NLEx Corp.

“We could have stopped pointing out the shortcomings of the NLEx system, but we want to be constructive and proactively bring solutions to the table,” Gatchalian said.

The mayor said he would also ask the company to develop measurable performance indicators to guide both parties “if the suspension is lifted.”

Gatchalian stressed that “the burden is on [NLEx Corp.]”To solve the problems quickly” or the toll holidays will persist. “

“The suspension [should be] enough motivation for them to act fast, ”he added.

DOTr has suggested that NLEx Corp. relocate RFID tag installation and reloading elsewhere during peak hours to ease congestion on the turnpike.

In a briefing last week, Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Executive Director Abraham Sales said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had suggested gluing and recharging be done at service stations, centers shopping malls, supermarkets and other places frequented by motorists.

Sales said sticky lanes at the small two- or three-lane toll gates would be removed and a line of cash would be kept there to loosen tie downs.

Relocation of the toll plaza

He said that some toll plazas, including those at Balintawak in Quezon City and Karuhatan in Valenzuela, should be relocated, as they were among the causes of congestion on the highway.

“That is the immediate solution that we are indicating to the toll operator to implement. They need to relocate these toll plazas, ”Sales said.

He said there were also rarely used emergency lanes on the freeway that could be used for cash payments during rush hours to ease congestion on the freeway.

In a statement Sunday, the DOTr said that NLEx Corp. had been instructed to consider increasing the power of its RFID sensors from 3 watts to 10 watts within 15 days of December 9.

“In addition, the configuration of the Karuhatan toll plaza in Valenzuela for NLEx should be reassessed and a recommendation submitted as soon as possible,” said DOTr. –WITH REPORTS FROM KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING AND MEG ADONIS INQ

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