High standard highways are defined as highways which provide a high level of traffic services by assuring high speed mobility and safe travel in order to vitally support socio-economic activities for sound socio-economic development of strategic regions and the country as a whole.[3] In the Philippines, controlled-access highways are known as expressways. They are multi-lane divided toll roads which are privately maintained under concession from the government. The regional high standard highways are partial controlled-access highways that function as supplementary to expressways.[3]
The Philippine expressway network spanned 420 kilometers (260 mi) in length in 2015 and was extended to 626 kilometers (389 mi) in 2020, and is to be extended to 995 kilometers (618 mi) beyond 2030 according to the master plan submitted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency in 2010.[2]
The Philippine highway network spans over 32,000 kilometers (20,000 mi) across all regions of the Philippines. These highways, however, are mostly single and dual carriageways with many U-turn lanes and intersections slowing down traffic. Coupled with the increase in the number of vehicles and the demand for limited-access highways, the Philippine government requested the government of Japan to conduct a master plan for the development of a high standard highway network in 2009 under the Philippine Medium-Term Public Investment Plan (2005–2010).[3] The plan calls for the promotion of national integrity by strengthening the Philippine Nautical Highway System linking roads and ferries, the decongestion of traffic in Metro Manila, and the improvement of accessibility to main tourist spots, among others.[3]
The establishment of limited-access highways or expressways are provided and defined by Republic Act No. 2000 or the Limited Access Highway Act, signed on June 22, 1957. Through the act, the Department of Public Works and Highways is authorized to designate new or existing roads as limited-access highways and to regulate points of entry along these limited-access highways.[4]
Driving any vehicle or equipment with an overall height exceeding 14 feet (4.3 m) or incapable of traveling at the minimum speed limit;
Putting any stickers, posters, and tarpaulins within the expressway premises, including those used during elections;
Types
High standard highways in the Philippines are classified into two types: the arterial high standard highways or expressways, and regional high standard highways.[3]
Controlled-access highways or Expressways (HSH-1)
Arterial high standards highways (HSH-1) in the Philippines are known as expressways. They are highways with controlled-access, normally with interchanges and may include facilities for levying tolls for passage in an open or closed system.[8] Standard features of Philippine expressways include guard rails, rumble strips, signs and pavement markings, solid wall fence, speed radars, toll plaza, closed-circuit television and rest and service areas. The speed limit is 100 km/h (62 mph) for cars and jeepneys, 80 km/h (50 mph) for trucks and buses, and 60 km/h (37 mph) is the minimum for all classes of vehicles.
The Skyway, the first elevated toll road in the country, as pictured in 2007
The first expressways in the Philippines are the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), both of which were built in the late 1960s.[9] The first elevated toll road in the Philippines is the Skyway, with its construction consisting of numerous sections called "stages". Its latest section, Stage 3, was completed in 2021.[10] The Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway, from Santo Tomas to Lipa in Batangas was opened in 2001 and was extended in 2008. The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the longest tollway in the Philippines was opened in 2008, setting the stage for the development of the Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX), which would extend beyond the SCTEX' northern terminus in Tarlac City. The TPLEX was opened in 2013. The Cavite–Laguna Expressway (CALAX), another expressway in Southern Luzon, was partially opened on October 30, 2019.[11] The Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) was partially opened on July 15, 2021.[12]
There are many under construction and proposed expressways in the Philippines. All the expressways in the Philippines are privately maintained under concession agreements either with the Department of Public Works and Highways or the Toll Regulatory Board through build–operate–transfer (BOT) arrangements. At present, there are 15 expressways in the Philippines that connect Metro Manila to northern and southern Luzon and 1 expressway in Metro Cebu.
Regional high standard highways (HSH-2)
Regional high standard highways in the Philippines are multi-lane arterial roads with bypass, grade separation and/or frontage road. They connect the expressways and are mostly partial controlled-access highways.[3] Their design speed is 80–100 km/h (50–62 mph) for inter-urban regional highways and 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph) for intra-urban highways.[3]
Numbering system
Under the implementation of a route numbering system commissioned by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on 2014, expressways are signed with yellow pentagonal signs with black numerals. They are prefixed with the letter "E" for "Expressway" to distinguish them from national highways. Expressways numbers are assigned sequentially and continuously.[8]
Numbered routes
The Philippine expressway network is currently consisting of six discontinuous network of expressways, all of which are located in the island of Luzon.[13][14]
Operational (Caloocan to Magsaysay Boulevard); under construction (Magsaysay Boulevard to Santa Mesa)
Tolls
Most of the expressways implement tolls, usually of the closed road and barrier toll systems. On expressways roads using closed road tolling, motorists first get a card or ticket at the entry point and surrender them upon exit. On expressways implementing barrier tolling, toll collection is done at toll plazas on a fixed rate. Some expressways employ a hybrid system that includes both, like the North Luzon Expressway, which uses both barrier ("open system") and closed road tolling.
Electronic toll collection (ETC) is first implemented on the Skyway and South Luzon Expressway, using transponder technology branded E-Pass. ETC systems are implemented by some toll road operators, with inter-running support on other connected expressways. Toll plazas or toll gates have ETC lanes on the leftmost lanes or on "mixed" lanes, that allow cash collection, or both. Latest ETC systems use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology over transponder technology for collection. Having different ETC systems that are not supported on other roads, a plan for a unified ETC system is promoted for motorists' convenience. Cashless toll collections on all expressways are on a dry run since 2023, aiming for full implementation in 2024.[15]
As of June 2024[update], the toll rates by expressway are as follows:
₱164.00 (to & from Alabang/SLEx) ₱118.00 (to & from Sucat/Dr. A. Santos Ave.) ₱72.00 (to & from Bicutan/Doña Soledad) ₱105.00 (Buendia to Plaza Azul/Nagtahan) ₱129.00 (E. Rodriguez to NLEX Balintawak) ₱264.00 (Buendia to NLEX Balintawak)
₱329.00 (to & from Alabang/SLEx) ₱237.00 (to & from Sucat/Dr. A. Santos Ave.) ₱145.00 (to & from Bicutan/Doña Soledad) ₱210.00 (Buendia to Plaza Azul/Nagtahan) ₱258.00 (E. Rodriguez to NLEX Balintawak) ₱528.00 (Buendia to NLEX Balintawak)
₱493.00 (to & from Alabang/SLEx) ₱356.00 (to & from Sucat/Dr. A. Santos Ave.) ₱218.00 (to & from Bicutan/Doña Soledad)
Additionally, since June 1, 2024, the Agri-Trucks Toll Rebate Program is implemented to exempt vehicles carrying agricultural products from toll increases on expressways, aiming to ease inflation on these goods. For SMC Tollways-operated expressways such as SLEX and MCX, the average rebate ranges from ₱2 to ₱30. Meanwhile, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation-operated expressways such as NLEX, SCTEX, and CAVITEX offer rebates ranging from ₱16 to ₱156. Both rates depend on the vehicle class, with the latter depending on the distance travelled as well.[16]
^ abThe extent of E2/AH26 in Skyway is unknown since the DPWH's GIS apps does not show any route designation for the tollway. Despite this, some E2/AH26 markers were seen between Buendia and Alabang until they were dismantled together with the center barriers in 2020.
^This segment from Tipo Interchange in Dinalupihan, Bataan to Clark Logistics Interchange in Mabalacat is currently numbered E1 according to the DPWH's GIS apps but their 2019 atlas, as well as older sources, shows that it is part of E4.
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