Daily Tribune‘The government will review our proposal to determine whether it is acceptable — the cost and the impact on the motorist are acceptable.’
The 97-kilometer NLEX, which connects Metro Manila to the northern provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, is targeting 2027 for the removal of toll gate barriers.
Photograph courtesy of NLEX
Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is eyeing a barrierless toll collection system on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), with completion possible by 2027 if its proposal wins government approval.
MPTC president and CEO Jose K. Ma. Lim said in an interview with reporters that the company has submitted plans for a multi-lane free-flow system that would remove physical toll barriers and allow vehicles to pass seamlessly.
“The government will review our proposal to determine whether it is acceptable — the cost and the impact on the motorist are acceptable. Also the amount of the returns, the mechanism of the returns of investments,” Lim said.
He noted that once cleared, the project could be finished within two years. “If it is approved by the end of the year, then by 2027,” he said.
No more road jam
Barrierless tolling, which removes physical barriers at entry and exit points, is expected to improve traffic flow and make expressway travel more efficient. However, Carullo said significant preparations are still required, including technology upgrades and coordination among toll operators.
The Toll Regulatory Board had originally planned to implement a barrierless system as early as November 2024.
However, delays in the Toll Collection System Interoperability Project pushed back the timeline. The project aims to give motorists the convenience of using a single RFID sticker and maintaining just one account or wallet across all toll roads.
