Traffic was heavy at some toll plazas of Skyway Stage 3 and EDSA this Monday, the first day of toll collection on such an elevated highway.
According to Skyway management, there was confusion over whether cash payments were allowed and the RFID used by motorists to pay tolls.
RFID is said to be as accepted on the Skyway as Autosweep, which is different from the Easytrip used on the North Luzon Expressway.
Cash payment is also allowed but as an RFID load. If the motorist does not yet have RFID, they will first install it near the toll plaza.
The management of Skyway Stage 3 expects the traffic flow to return to normal in the coming days.
“In a few days, magno-normalize na ang traffic… First day ngayon. Birth pains,” said Manuel Bonoan, CEO of Skyway O&M Corp.
In an interview with other motorists, they said they would rather pay the toll than waste fuel and time on EDSA.
The toll rate on Skyway Stage 3 ranges from P30 to P264, which should shorten the travel time of motorists from Alabang to Balintawak to 30 minutes from the previous 3 hours.
But there are also motorists who no longer pass through Skyway Stage 3 because of the toll.
Traffic experienced on first day of toll collection on Skyway Stage 3
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority noticed that traffic in Quezon City stopped around 7 a.m., but it was not as heavy as they expected.
The MMDA has yet to give a count on how many passed through EDSA on the first day of toll collection at Skyway Stage 3.
According to the Skyway Stage 3 management data, 80,000 vehicles pass through them from the previous 100,000.
The MMDA, on the other hand, recommends motorists to use the “Mabuhay lanes” if they do not want to spend money on the Skyway.
Due to the expected heaviness of traffic in EDSA, MMDA is already studying the return of number coding.
Coding has been removed since the COVID-19 lockdown began in the country last year.
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