R8 - North Luzón Expressway

[federal]

hi. just got back from baguio....

Well, the stretch from Sta. Ines is still one lane on each direction sad to say (meaning they share one side of the highway while the other side is still grass and stuff. Road is smooth.

At the area of Pampanga, the roads are 2 lanes on each direction. Not much difference. I was expecting much more.

I Like the area from Bulacan.. it's four huge lanes per direction... and the roads are smooth... parang 110 sa LA... and it's all the way up to Balintawak..

Over-all, i was impressed... smooth ang road. Was doing 120-140kph at times. On the average, my speed was at 100. Damn... Lighting is not yet fixed though.

[renell]

hmm... we really need to start enforcing some speed limits there in NLEX before it used to say 60 to 100kmh but no can really bothered to break it because it was too bumpy or trafficky to go over 100kph.

but i can't wait till those 3 hour trips to my granny in pampanga is now demolished

[ryanr]

Yeah they need to get the lighting fixed. It was pitch dark when we were driving there last August.

Well you cant really do anything about speed limits in RP. They have them, but its poorly enforced. I did see some patrol cars pull over 1 or 2 cars, though. In Germany, all highways have no speed limits

[renell]

yeah well most french, and australian motorways have no lighting, except in the built-up areas. makes sense too, to not disturb anything around them with lights, the cars are enough distraction. that's why caution and head and tail lights were made

[ryanr]

But that is dangerous since you cant really see whats on the road. Also, if it is dark and you meet and oncoming car, the headlights will strain your eyes, possibly causing a crash.

[renell]

could be.

you can't really see much on the motorways if it's dark, that's true, but at night there's usually you and two cars in a stretch of 500 meters. i dunno if it does strain your eyes, so i can't comment on that. anyways night-driving in general is dangerous

[kiretoce]

I went on a cross-country drive from Florida to California with some friends, and somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Texas on a dark stretch of Interstate 10 at night I collided and ran over a deer! That really shook me and I had to stop driving and collect myself because I was freaking out! I killed Bambi!

[absent-minded]

Express way to progress
CITY SENSE By Paulo Alcazaren | The Philippine STAR 11/27/2004



Traveling more than 20 kilometers from Manila used to be considered a day trip. Balara, Cavite, Calamba, Los Baños, Antipolo or Bulacan were within reason-able reach by private car, arkila’d jeepney or funky combi. In the 1950s, destinations farther away req-uired more planning and logistical fore-thought. Baguio, Sibul Springs, Pagsanjan, Tagaytay and the beaches in Batangas were desirable recreational destinations.

Longer journeys were made possible by a fairly dependable train system that was as good as the European ones until the late ‘50s. Mismanagement and lack of upgrades spelled the eventual death of the Philippine iron horse. The trains carried passengers and freight, while the rest of the country’s goods were transported by water – our ports and ships were still serviceable then.

Although we had highways since the 1920s, these black-topped ribbons leading north, east and south of Manila were narrow and discontinuous. Since rail transport linked the north and south, the first long stretch out of Manila was eastward with Quezon Boulevard and its link after the war – Commonwealth Avenue (Dewey Boulevard only led to the edge of the city’s limits).

These two were supposed to be parkways – dedicated highways with extensive landscaping to promote comfortable and fast vehicular travel. Officials of the National Planning Commission and the Bureau of Public Works in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s had planned these, and the circumferential highway we now know as EDSA, to be separate from internal roads leading to residential and other zones. No commercial establishments were supposed to be accessible from the parkways. However, pressure from businessmen trying to take advantage of the growing traffic out of Manila laid all these plans for an efficient road and parkway system to waste.

The first real expressways were mooted since the ‘50s but had to wait for the Marcos era to see light. The first stretch was north and it was called a "superhighway." Super indeed it was, as no Philippine road was quite like it. This first superhighway had smooth concrete that did not melt after the first rain; it had fencing to keep carabaos and pedestrians from crossing, and toll booths just like what the US had. Driving on this superhighway in the late ‘60s was a breeze and travel time to Baguio was cut down to just five hours from the previous eight or more. In the ‘70s, this north superhighway was followed by a similar but shorter one south from Manila to Alabang. Eventually, both were extended but the north version still reached farther than the south.

Sadly, these two expressways deteriorated with almost the same speed as the rest of the country in the lead-up to People Power 1. The literal cracks in the pavement showed up early for both stretches. Fences eventually were not maintained and landscaping disappeared into brown patches or broken strands of thinning trees. The company that built and managed the expressways fell the way of all crony corporations. Eventually, we ended up with infrastructure teetering on the brink of collapse. People Power brought a change in government but infrastructure took longer to be rehabilitated.

By the ‘90s the focus of development turned south. The access to Laguna, Batangas, Cavite and Bicol beyond was better maintained than the north’s. This access led also to increased residential development and eventually to business and industrial parks that seemed to prefer the south.

In the last 15 years, the north expressway deteriorated even further. Bad maintenance, potholes, flooding in segments, the disappearance of shoulders, safety barriers, lighting, and emergency phones made the north toll road look like a third-world, third-class road. Holes in the fences even allowed people to cross (only in the Philippines!). The lack of control over overloaded vehicles hastened its demise as the concrete gave in to forces they were ill-designed to cope with. True, the toll fees were cheap – much cheaper than southern expressway fee – but what is the price paid for traffic congestion, immense wear and tear on vehicles, or the terrible accidents that keep on occurring as the expressway rumbles its way to oblivion?

Meanwhile, the south eclipsed the north in terms of economic growth by its relatively better access. Also, while southern Luzon had several parallel high-capacity options, the north only had the expressway (McArthur Highway stops short and is interrupted often). By the late ‘90s, the south had over 16 industrial and business parks to the north’s seven.

The economic future of Baguio, Clark, Subic and the rest of central and northern Luzon really depend on its connectivity with Manila. The National Capital Region and Metro Manila could be further decongested by opening up the north – hopefully learning from the southern sprawl how to better manage and balance out growth in the towns and cities along the way.

Thankfully, the government recognized the problem and found a solution. The North Luzon Expressway is to be rehabilitated, expanded and operated by the Manila North Tollways Corporation. The massive makeover includes 138 kilometers worth of new roads, total resurfacing of all roads, four new toll plazas and four new interchanges, the upgrading of all other interchanges and the widening of exits. To support these improvements new flyovers, pedestrian bridges, maintenance and supervision buildings are also being built.

The "new" North Luzon Expressway will be faster, more efficient, comfortable and most especially safer to travel on. Toll collection and traffic management will be fully computerized. Emergency phones using fiber optics will be provided between one and two kilometers apart. Closed-circuit TV monitoring will help traffic management as well as digitally record all sections for safety and security. Variable message signs will also give travelers continuous information and plans are afoot to tie in radio reports with the whole system to further make this information available to users.

This convenience, safety and speed have a price. But the increased toll fees will be worth it as shown by studies conducted by a leading planning consultancy group, PLANADES, based at the University of the Philippines. The report shows that gains achieved from reduced wear and tear, and smoother rides outweigh the increased costs. Savings per kilometer from reduced vehicular operating costs are projected to as much as seven percent depending on the class of vehicle – despite the toll adjustments.

The fees will also cover the installation of median barriers to prevent head-on collisions, reflectorized lane markings, improved lighting, 24-hour emergency assistance – emergency tow-trucks, first-aid and patrol vehicles. Speed monitoring and weight-monitoring equipment will also ensure both safety and the structural integrity of the new expressway. This means less or even the complete elimination of over-speeding, drunk-driving and driver error.

Aside from reduced vehicle operating costs, the UP PLANADES group projects the reduction in travel time (up to half the current travel time), the promotion of business and commercial development, the increase in regional tourism, a rise in regional employment and ultimately and increase in land values (up to about 50 percent price premium, says the report). Every kilometer of this expressway renewal and extension will bring P20 million in gross value added and will produce P18,000 annually in per capita gross regional domestic product.

The benefit of a new North Expressway goes beyond the immediate region of Central Luzon. All points north will benefit and balance the previous focus on the south. Foreign investors will also be monitoring this infrastructure improvement along with similar initiatives of sea port, airport and a revitalized north railroad system. The future investment attractiveness of the whole Luzon rests on how well efforts work to build a truly strong republic transport system.

The North Expressway will put the "express" back not just in travel, which it will surely do, but more importantly to the regional and national economy, which has slowed down to the average pace of Metro Manila’s traffic – almost motionless. The Philippines really has to get started moving. This new and improved expressway is a good start on a journey that ultimately will lead to the country’s long awaited progress.
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nice little article. I regularly check out Paulo Alcazaren's (who is he...?) weekly City Sense publishings in the Star. great articles like these pop out every so often. most of time, its on Metro Manila's urban landscape - or lack of it thereof (what a cliche - hahaha!) - which is really interesting, save for the fact that he talks about stuff way back in the past that can get a bit boring. he also writes about transportation and infrastructure and all that.

oh yeah... NLEX looks awesome in that aerial! looking really good..! I have to take a ride on that thing when I get back to Manila next July..!!

[ryanr]

Very interesting article. NLEX will indeed increase demand for development in the north especially in Clark and Subic.

[renell]

I wouldn't be surprised if people complained about the high toll fees in NLEX. But pessimism aside, I'm looking forward to NLEX going further north. , perhaps going the other way from the SCTEX.

[stephencua]

the toll rates have finally been raised.. im wondering why cant the people just see the improved services and overall condition of the road and stop bitching about the raised toll.. i mean it does result to much better service and road experience right?

im just thinking that the pros and cons are about even..

Pampanga board seeks review of North toll

Editor's Note: Published on page A17 of the February 10, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines -- The Pampanga provincial board on Monday ordered its committee on good government to file a petition to review the approved toll at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) before the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

The League of Provincial Board Members in Central Luzon will also submit a separate petition to President Macapagal-Arroyo to stop the 400-percent increase in rates, said Pampanga Board Member Aurelio Gonzales, the league's vice chair.

Although the TRB has approved the new rates, it has yet to announce the date on which the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) can start collecting these, Jose de Jesus, Tollways president said.

The MNTC -- a joint venture of the Lopez-family owned First Philippine Infrastructure Corp., Groupe Egis, Leighton International, and the state-owned Philippine National Construction Corp. -- rehabilitated and expanded the 30-year-old highway at a cost of P18.5 billion.

Spanning more than 80 km from Balintawak, Quezon City, to Sta. Ines in
Mabalacat, Pampanga, it was the biggest toll road project by a private company since the 1970s.

The "open system" from Balintawak and any exit point up to Bocaue charges a flat rate of P42.

Opening rates at per kilometer for the "closed system" (Bocaue to Sta. Ines) were set at P2.48 for cars (Class 1); P6.21 for buses and light trucks (Class 2); and P7.45 for trucks and other heavy vehicles (Class 3). The strengthening of the peso in recent weeks lowered the rates by a centavo.

The PNCC, the original operator of the NLEx, used to collect P0.26, P0.52, and P0.78, respectively, for the same classes of vehicles.

Asked on Tuesday for comments on the new rounds of protest, De Jesus said: "They are within their rights to do that, and it should be directed at the TRB."

De Jesus also defended the new rates, saying these were derived from the P0.82 per km base toll rates approved in 1998 under the contract's Supplemental Toll Operating Agreement .

Foreign exchange and inflation rates have caused fees to rise. The MNTC, he said, was not passing on to the toll, the additional construction cost of around P7 billion.

Tonette Orejas with a report from Carmela Reyes, PDI Central Luzon Desk

[renell]

yes indeed it does. If the rate remains at pre-rehabilitation prices, then you'll going to see the roads in pre-rehab conditions very quick.

[bustero]

If the rates will be pushed down by TRB (highly unlikely as it's local provincial board not a big nationwide clamor yet) then then government will have to pay the diff. Similar to MRT. After Lopez experience in Maynilad this automatic feature gives the the comfort level to invest in spite of government's frequent meddling in agreed upon prices as soon as someone complains.

[SKYLINEPIGEON]

oh here we go again using government funds to subsidize the public, people clamor for very good service and very good highways, and so investors invested billions of pesos to come with a world class expressway and when its time for them to make money to recoup their investments people start compalining abt the high toll rates

[bagel]

IMO this is a flaw within the BOT laws. But then there is a catch-22 here. This is exactly the problem when we talk about privatizing infrastructure projects. Of course private entities want a return on investment and are going to seek as high a price as they can get when charging for use. Unfortunately, we're kind of stuck this way because the government has no funds to fund these things themselves. In an ideal world, things shouldn't be privatized and government should subsidize these things-- something that will never happen unless there's an efficient tax collection system and efficient government. This way we take the profit motive out of rendering public services so that the public doesn't need to pay for someone else to make money.

[Culiat]

I just wanna ask if anybody here know when is NLEX was first inaugurated? Is it in the 60s? or 70s?

[renell]

Originally Posted by SKYLINEPIGEON

oh here we go again using government funds to subsidize the public, people clamor for very good service and very good highways, and so investors invested billions of pesos to come with a world class expressway and when its time for them to make money to recoup their investments people start compalining abt the high toll rates

This one's for the Issues in Development, but you can trace it back to the inability to collect taxes to the right people, among other things.

Guess if some motorists don't like it I guess it's back to the Macarthur Highway

@culiat, if you read absent-minded's posted article it says NLEX was built in the 60's while SLEX followed in the 70s

[mysaong03]

Originally Posted by renell

This one's for the Issues in Development, but you can trace it back to the inability to collect taxes to the right people, among other things.

Guess if some motorists don't like it I guess it's back to the Macarthur Highway

@culiat, if you read absent-minded's posted article it says NLEX was built in the 60's while SLEX followed in the 70s

as far i know, nlex was inagurated during the late 60s, but it wasnt as long as 84 km yet, while the slex was opened in 1969 but only upto alabang area. and that time twas considered as the most modern in SEA, next to japanese expressways

[Culiat]

Originally Posted by renell

This one's for the Issues in Development, but you can trace it back to the inability to collect taxes to the right people, among other things.

Guess if some motorists don't like it I guess it's back to the Macarthur Highway

@culiat, if you read absent-minded's posted article it says NLEX was built in the 60's while SLEX followed in the 70s

Oh ok, Thanks

[absent-minded]

Originally Posted by renell

Guess if some motorists don't like it I guess it's back to the Macarthur Highway

yeah, I believe it is. they were reporting it last night on TV Patrol. hehe. some people are actually willing to waste several hours going through Macarthur Hwy to avoid paying the increased toll. it was so heavily clogged up though. and I'm sure it'll get worse as the govt pushes its rehabilitation/reconstruction.

NLEX looked awesome. absolutely world-class! the new toll plazas are so nice..! I really hope the protesters don't get their way with repealing the toll increases. it would be such a waste to see the new expressway deteriorate into its old conditions again in only just a couple of years.