Traffic flow along expressways in North eases

DAGUPAN CITY—Police and officials manning the expressways in central and northern Luzon have intensified the monitoring of traffic flow as motorists return to Metro Manila from their Holy Week vacation in northern Luzon provinces.

On Sunday afternoon, traffic through the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) was moderate.

Authorities did not record any traffic buildup at the Urdaneta City exit of TPLEx for motorists returning to Metro Manila from holiday destinations like Baguio City, upland Cordillera towns like Sagada in Mt. Province, and the Ilocos provinces.

READ: Baguio traffic to worsen this Holy Week

Police expected heavy traffic along this route from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, said Supt. Jeff Fanged, Urdaneta City police director.

Many hotel bookings in Baguio were canceled due in large part to Typhoon “Chedeng” (international name: Maysak), which was downgraded to a tropical depression by the time it hit Isabela on Sunday morning.

Traffic leaving the summer capital was moderate because of the reduced tourist arrivals, according to the Baguio City police.

As a consequence, inner city traffic was also slow but smooth, as contractors rushed to pave excavated roads.

READ: Baguio sets one-way traffic on Kennon, other streets

Simultaneous road repairs ahead of the Lenten break were blamed by local hotels for the relatively poor business this weekend.

On Saturday, two people died while four others were hurt when a car crashed into a passenger bus in Tarlac City.

READ: 2 dead in Black Saturday road accident in Tarlac

Senior Police Officer 1 Daniel Bañaga, Tarlac City police investigator, said the collision happened along the Tarlac-Sta. Rosa Road in Barangay Maliwalo at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Killed in the accident were Joanna Salvador, 21, and Jomar Pacuan, 11. Injured were Dan Jodzon, 23, Krishaine Pacuan, 11, Diane Pacuan, 27, and another passenger known only as Tin.

The victims, who came from the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag in Manaoag town in Pangasinan province, were on board a Hyundai Accent sedan and were on their way to the SCTEx exit in Tarlac City that would take them home to Caloocan City.

Bañaga said the car, which was driven by Jodzon, crossed to the opposite lane and crashed into a Baliwag Transit bus bound for Tarlac City.

In Bulacan province, traffic to adjacent Pampanga province was smooth due to the partial opening of the Calumpit bridge, which has been under repair for four years.

Only two lanes of the bridge is passable for the meantime, until curing allows authorities to open all four lanes by May.

The bridge lies along the MacArthur Highway that traverses Calumpit town’s Barangay Gatbuca, which is next to Apalit town in Pampanga. Gabriel Cardinoza and Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon; and Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon