Common toll plaza mulled for SCTEx, TPLEx

THE SUBIC-CLARK-TARLAC Expressway INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The state-run Bases Conversion Development Authority and the Private Infra Dev Corp. have agreed to interconnect the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) by installing a common toll plaza to make their use more convenient for motorists.

BCDA president and chief executive officer Paciano D. Casanova said the interconnection will give motorists the convenience of stopping at just one toll plaza to pay their exit fees for one of the expressways and get their entry tickets to the other.

“The interconnection between the SCTEx and TPLEx will tremendously save precious time for the motorists as they travel both expressways. It will address the long queuing of vehicles especially during holidays (when) traffic volume on the expressways increase exponentially. It will also provide motorists convenience and faster travel time to their destination,” Casanova said.

BCDA is the builder and owner of the SCTEx while Private Infra Dev is the concession holder of the TPLEx.

Under their joint operation plan, the temporary SCTEx toll plaza located under the San Miguel overpass would be deactivated.  The TPLEx Central Barrier Toll Plaza will serve as the toll plaza where motorists exiting the SCTEx would pay their SCTEx exit toll fee. They would then be given their entry tickets to the TPLEx.

Similarly, motorists exiting the TPLEx would ay their exit tollat the TPLEx Central Toll Plaza and get their tickets to enter the SCTEx.

According to the BCDA, the TPLEx Parclo Plaza in Tarlac will also be put up to serve vehicles coming from Mac Arthur Highway bound for the SCTEx and vehicles coming from TPLEx bound for Mac Arthur highway.

The common SCTEx-TPLEx toll plaza in Tarlac is expected to cost P175 million, of which P25 million will be shouldered by the BCDA for the detailed design, traffic management and installation of the Toll Collection System of the toll plaza.

The Department of Public Works and Highways will then fund the civil works at a cost of P150 million. The agency is reported to be preparing for the procurement process for the project, which could take six months to complete.

Also part of the interconnection plan is the reactivation of the SCTEx La Paz Toll Plaza to servevehicles bound for Nueva Ecija.

Meanwhile, Casanova disclosed that the BCDA is also exploring a similar interconnection project with the Manila North Tollways Corp.,  the concession holder of the North Luzon Expressway.