Travel on new SCTEX for free

SCTEX - Dubbed as one of the “dream highways,” the 93.77-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) will be open to motorists for free during the entire Holy Week, Malacañang announced yesterday.

President Macapagal-Arroyo will inaugurate on Tuesday morning the new expressway that will link the Subic Bay Freeport to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Tarlac.

Once officially opened—actual operations will start in the third or fourth week of April—traveling from Clark to Subic will take only 35 minutes, officials said.

Edgardo Pamintuan, head of the Clark-Subic Development Council, said President Arroyo also wants to connect the NLEX southwards with the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) via Commonwealth and Mindanao Avenues in Quezon City, and extend the NLEX northwards to Rosario, La Union, via the towns of La Paz and Gerona in Tarlac.

The President hopes to complete the “dream highways” before her term ends in 2010, said Pamintuan at the taping of the government TV talk show, “Cabinet Speaks” hosted by Press Undersecretary Martin Crisostomo. Michael Lim Ubac - Philippine Daily Inquirer

Map of the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway click to download map

Subic-Clark highway will have soft opening Tuesday

The 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) will have a 'soft opening' on Tuesday and toll fees will be waived in time for the Holy Week, Malacanang announced Friday.

"On the instructions of her excellency, the President, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway will have a trial opening on Tuesday for class 1 vehicles. Toll fees will be waived in time for the Holy Week break," Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo said in a text message.

The soft opening comes three months after it was suppose to open.

The SCTEX was scheduled for opening on January but the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) later moved its opening for end of April.

SCTEX has 34 bridges, four of them "major" spans - measuring 300 meters or more - which are now undergoing final inspection.

It has eight interchanges -- the Tipo Junction, Dinalupihan Interchange, Clark Logistics Interchange, Spur/North Luzon Expressway Interchange, Clark North Interchange, Conception Interchange, and San Miguel Interchange - while three others are being eyed for construction.

The additional interchanges would be located in Pampanga - at the Clark South Interchange, the Porac Interchange in Dolores, and the Basa Interchange in Floridablanca. - Alena Gonzales, GMANews.TV

Map of the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway click to download map