Update: SCTEx access to open on Dec. 23

Access to Clark from the SCTEx is seen to improve with the planned opening of the Panday Pira road next week. The full report is available here. More interchanges are scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2009.

SCTEx: 94 kilometers of bliss

The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) is a 94-kilometer expressway which traverses the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac, connecting vital growth areas in Central Luzon, including the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales, the Clark Special Economic Zone, and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac City. It is the Philippines' longest tollway, and may be accessed from Manila through a spur road after the Dau Toll Plaza of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx). Presently, it has seven fully operational toll gates:

1. Tipo Interchange, which leads to Subic;
2. Dinalupihan Interchange, which exits at Roman Highway, and provides access to the Olongapo-Gapan Road;
3. Mabalacat Interchange, which allows access to and from the NLEx as well as MacArthur Highway -- it is also currently the best way to access Clark;
4. Dolores Exit;
5. Concepcion Interchange, which provides access to Capas through the Concepcion-Magalang Road;
6. San Miguel Interchange/Luisita Exit; and
7. Tarlac City Interchange.

Four more interchanges/exits are being constructed, and will be operational in 2009. These are the Floridablanca Interchange, Porac Interchange, Clark South Interchange, and Clark North Interchange. A map of the SCTEx may be found at the BCDA's website.

The partial opening of the Subic-Clark segment of the SCTEx dramatically reduced travel time to Subic: what used to be a 4-hour ordeal from Balintawak became a very leisurely 80 minutes.

Much has been said about the pleasures of cruising through the smooth surface of the SCTEx: from the endless views of a green countryside uncluttered by billboards, to amazing feats of engineering that cut through mountains and rose over gorges. The speed limit at the SCTEx, as with any true expressway, is 100kph. But Pedestrian Pinoy, who is a stickler for rules and true to form, was only a passenger, has seen many other vehicles zoom past at incredible velocity. Admittedly though, even at a top speed of slightly over 110kph, neither a pebble nor a bump was felt. But that is neither an invitation nor a temptation to race! Although the stretch of the expressway is frequently patrolled, there have been no apprehensions yet for over-speeding, although accidents as a result of such have taken place (and Pedestrian Pinoy has witnessed this). Also, reports of stoning incidents have been made by some travelers.

The cost per kilometer for a class 1 vehicle is P2.00. So a trip from the Mabalacat Interchange all the way to the Subic Tipo Gate will cost P112.00. This is apart from the toll fee along NLEx, and another P18.00 to enter Subic.

Here are some photos taken during a weekend trip to Subic:

The SCTEx is an amazing piece of infrastructure, a world-class highway which the Filipino richly deserves. It will hopefully inspire further economic growth north of Manila, and should be a standard for all future public works.