Heavy traffic along expressways seen to start after lunch Friday

Heavy traffic is expected along expressways around noontime on Friday, the last workday before Christmas, according to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

Interviewed on Unang Balita, TRB spokesperson Julius Corpuz said the heavy traffic may last until late Friday night and start again early Saturday morning as people flock to the provinces for the holiday season.

"Ang inaasahan natin, magsisimula nang maglalakbay ang ating mga kababayan after lunch today at iyan ay aabot hanggang gabi," Corpuz said.

"Maaari pong medyo maiibsan lamang 'yan sa madaling araw after 12 o' clock at magsisimula na naman 'yan ng madaling araw ng Sabado hanggang sa whole day of Saturday," he added.

(We expect more travelers after lunch today until tonight. The volume may decrease after 12 o' clock midnight and increase again early morning and the whole of Saturday.)

Corpuz said up to 20% in additional volume of vehicles is possible along expressways, and that the TRB is preparing for this exodus along with the toll operators.

To ensure a smooth travel, Corpuz advised motorists to check the  roadworthiness of their vehicles first and also the load of their RFIDs.

"Mas mabilis po generally kung nasa RFID lane kayo. It takes only 4 to 6 seconds for you to pass through the RFID lane whereas kung nasa cash po kayo aabutin kayo 20 to 25 seconds," he said.

(It's faster generally on the RFID lane. It takes only 4 to 6 seconds to pass through that lane compared to 20 to 25 seconds on the cash lane.)

In case of malfunctioning cashless toll plazas, Corpuz said additional personnel have been deployed to address the needs of the affected motorists.

Designated drivers, Corpuz also advised, should also check if they are up to the task to avoid untoward problems on the road. —KBK, GMA Integrated News