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[TheStranger]

I know there's an older thread about the Philippine toll expressways - https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11302.msg269356#msg269356 - but decided to start a new one as I was in the country for 11 days in late December and early January and wanted to focus more on the numerous ongoing construction projects, particularly in Metro Manila.

I'll post more on the individual roads in a bit, but here's my photo albums from the trip:

EDSA https://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/albums/72157677327836110

North Luzon Expressway https://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/albums/72157677091116001

North Luzon West Expressway project: SCTEX https://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/albums/72157678773061495 and TPLEX https://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/albums/72157675049400223

Metro Manila Skyway/South Luzon Expressway: https://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/albums/72157674960041494

As a bit of a primer, I've found a map at the SkyscraperCity forums of Manila showing the Metro Manila Skyway extension and the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link project, both of which are actively under construction and will provide the region with their first ever through freeway connections:

[Chris]

The DPWH introduced expressway numbering in 2014. For example E1 is the North Luzon Expressway. Did you see any of those route numbers signed?

[TheStranger]

The DPWH introduced expressway numbering in 2014. For example E1 is the North Luzon Expressway. Did you see any of those route numbers signed?[/img]

I saw maybe one sign for a Route 68 on local roads south of Manila.  Otherwise, nope, it's primarily expressway names (i.e. SCTEX, NLEX).

Wonder if this will change once the North Luzon West Expressway project is complete (which is essentially the SCTEX and TPLEX as one road) and when the following two projects are finished on NLEX: north extension for a more direct connection with it, and south extension through Manila on the Harbor Link.  I could see the SLEX/Metro Manila Skyway/NLEX being one route number (maybe with the Harbor Link having a separate number to represent being an alternate route in Manila) and the North Luzon West Expressway being another.

The Harbor Link and the Mero Manila Skyway Stage 3 create a parallel setup that is like a smaller scale version of the Hollywood/Golden State pair in Los Angeles (or 670 and 70 in Kansas City).  EDSA (kinda like New Jersey's Route 17 on steroids) has been severely overridden with traffic for years due to the lack of such a through limited-access route, something that will change dramatically in the coming months.

[TheStranger]

EDSA.  Here's an analogy to describe its current (pre-2017/2018) role in the Manila highway network.

Imagine say a large enough city, like San Francisco.  Imagine if the Freeway Revolt had been more extensive, and there was no Bayshore Freeway or Southern Freeway whatsoever, with 280 ending at 19th Avenue and the Bayshore Freeway ending in Brisbane or whatever.  And in this imaginary scenario, only 19th Avenue provided the access to either bridge.

So that's kinda like EDSA but that doesn't really give you the scope of it.  The city that the ring road runs through - Quezon City, the one-time Filipino capital from the 1940s to 1976 - actually has more people than Manila itself, with a population of 2.9 million - almost as much as Chicago!  Manila on the other hand "only" has 1.7 million (twice as many people as San Francisco, and larger than San Diego as well)...in a 16-square-mile landmass.  EDSA also skirts Makati, the most modern downtown in the entire country.

It's not hard to see why this has become the main street of the region, a role it had never been intended to take on.  Older-generation interchanges, business driveways on every block, interregional traffic, and the usual stop-and-go patterns of the jeepneys along the route are compounded by multiple large malls (especially SM EDSA North in Quezon City, but also the massive Mall of Asia at the road's south terminus) as traffic generators.

DSC_5199 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Overhead signage.  "Ayala" is the exit to Makati's Ayala Center area, comprising of a popular local park and the Greenbelt and Glorietta mall complexes.  Also note the advertising right on the median!

DSC_5209 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
H&M store from the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong.  The overhead structures are for the MRT-3 mass transit rail line.

DSC_5216 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Traffic on Christmas Eve morning.

DSC_5219 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Advertising on a VMS.

DSC_5232 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
The intersection with North Avenue, where SM City EDSA North mall is located.

DSC_6247 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Signage heading away from the North Luzon Expressway - note again the lack of road names on the overheads, only destinations.

DSC_7377 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Westbound grade separation in Makati

DSC_7379 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Offramp in Pasay which connects EDSA to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

DSC_7420 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Signage commemorating Japanese assistance on an interchange in Makati

DSC_7678 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Offramp at the Magallanes Interchange which links EDSA and the South Luzon Expressway

[TheStranger]

The North Luzon Expressway, connecting Metro Manila with Angeles.  Currently slated to be extended further south into Manila with the Harbor Link project.

DSC_5237 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Advertising on an overpass!

DSC_6232 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6234 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Examples of actual exit numbering

DSC_6242 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Approaching the interchange with EDSA in Balintawak.  This is the future north terminus of the Metro Manila Skyway stage 3 project.

[TheStranger]

The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, one half of the North Luzon West Expressway project.

DSC_5242 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Tollbooth thank you notices

DSC_5245 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Part of the unusual double-trumpet connector between the SCTEX and the NLEX, just north of Angeles.  (If I'm not mistaken, a more direct connection between the NLEX and SCTEX a few miles north is planned)

DSC_5249 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Advance exit signage - note lack of exit number here.

DSC_5249 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Exit number at ramp

DSC_5549 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Makeshift tollbooth expansion about 30 minutes north of Concepcion.  These extra tollbooths are placed about 200 feet north of the main toll gates.  Not sure if this was just for the holidays.

DSC_5551 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_5553 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Transition from SCTEX to TPLEX

DSC_6227 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6228 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
service areas

DSC_6230 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6231 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Southbound signage for the exit to the North Luzon Expressway southbound (towards Manila)

[TheStranger]

The Tarlac-Pagasinan-La Union Expressway, or TPLEX for short, the north portion of the North Luzon West Expressway project.  Currently completed to Ponzorrubio.

DSC_5554 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Start of road, seamless transition from the SCTEX.  The blue Lay-by signage seems to point towards the Philippine equivalent to rest areas here in the US.

DSC_5557 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Traditional Philippine light display for Christmas (termed "parol") at a tollbooth

DSC_5558 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Interesting design for historic signage

DSC_5559 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Exit signage - note lack of numbers

DSC_6093 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
From the main road in Ponzorrubio (current north terminus), signage pointing to the TPLEX with a Manila control city

DSC_6095 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Onramp control cities in Binalonan of Manila and Baguio - note that TPLEX connects to other roads to get to either destination.

[TheStranger]

And now the most interesting part of the trip for me, the Metro Manila Skyway and South Luzon Expressway.  I don't know if I actually traversed on the Skyway itself (which has a higher toll than the SLEX) BUT it's not hard to spot from below on the SLEX and more intriguingly, along the streets in Manila where the extension is being constructed at present!

Past EDSA, the currently constructed Skyway runs in the median of the South Luzon Expressway, a longer road which connects Metro Manila with Batangas. 

DSC_5190 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
The Skyway/SLEX two-level setup

DSC_5193 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Flyovers at the Lawton Avenue exit in Taguig

DSC_5194 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
FHWA font signage!  This is approaching the Magallanes Interchange

DSC_5196 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Not quite FHWA font.

DSC_7371 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Magallanes Interchange

DSC_7527 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Advertising on the skyway pillars

DSC_7679 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_7680 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_7685 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_7954 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Construction from Makati to southern Manila

DSC_7689 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_7690 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Pillars in Manila

DSC_7953 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Current north terminus of the limited access road, at Buendia Avenue

DSC_7957 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Skyway entrance signage from the southbound SLEX

DSC_7965 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Tollbooth signage near the Bicutan exit

[bing101]

I'm amazed that Quezon City is actually bigger in population than Manila though mainly because Manila gets larger attention and people outside the Philippines are unaware of this.

[TheStranger]

I'm amazed that Quezon City is actually bigger in population than Manila though mainly because Manila gets larger attention and people outside the Philippines are unaware of this.

That's not particularly different from San Jose being larger than SF.  Same deal though: Manila's geographic borders are much smaller than that of QC.  (Quezon City also was the capital of the country during the middle of the century)

Makati is the one city in Metro Manila that really has a distinctive skyline, followed by the Bonifacio section of Taguig adjacent to it.

[Chris]

Quezon City has some super wide roads.

This is Commonwealth Avenue:

[bing101]

I'm surprised that Cebu City and Davao city does not even have an expressway system like Manila has.
I seen Pinoy Joyride did shots of these areas and these two cities are supposed to be alternate economic hubs of the Philippines besides Manila. 

I understand that San Fernando, Pampanga is the alternate economic hub and it kind of gets played as the Sacramento metro area of the Philippines located and overshadowed  by Manila.

Bulacan from what I understand gets played as the commuter province for Metro Manila. Note my both of my parents were born in the Philippines they explained their time in the Philippines in that form.

[Alps]

DSC_7965 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Tollbooth signage near the Bicutan exit

Same as American E-ZPass, or just same name?

DSC_7527 by

Advertising on the skyway pillars

Is that... an ad for tuna?! That's some sexy fish.

[TheStranger]

Same as American E-ZPass, or just same name?

E-Pass...I don't know too much about it.  Quickly googling: http://www.skyway.com.ph/projects/stage-2/15-e-pass.html

Pretty similar concept (and I did see tons of "GET RFID TAG FOR QUICKER TRAVEL" (paraphrasing) type of signs on the expressways)...yet it blows my mind that a turnpike system being constructed in the last 10 years and counting seems to entirely lack in high-speed electronic tolling lanes!

Then again, given the traffic levels that have existed in that country for decades, maybe there isn't a need for high speed electronic tolling yet, LOL.

Is that... an ad for tuna?! That's some sexy fish.

You are correct!!! 

I'm so blown away by the pillar and median advertising here, stuff which would never fly in the US (not the least of which would be due to, uh, distraction potential).  I think that also works on the assumption of severe traffic jams giving people the chance to look at such ads...

[Alps]

Same as American E-ZPass, or just same name?

E-Pass...I don't know too much about it.  Quickly googling: http://www.skyway.com.ph/projects/stage-2/15-e-pass.html

Pretty similar concept (and I did see tons of "GET RFID TAG FOR QUICKER TRAVEL" (paraphrasing) type of signs on the expressways)...yet it blows my mind that a turnpike system being constructed in the last 10 years and counting seems to entirely lack in high-speed electronic tolling lanes!

Then again, given the traffic levels that have existed in that country for decades, maybe there isn't a need for high speed electronic tolling yet, LOL.

I misread E-Pass as E-ZPass. Ignore.

[bing101]

The DPWH introduced expressway numbering in 2014. For example E1 is the North Luzon Expressway. Did you see any of those route numbers signed?

I saw maybe one sign for a Route 68 on local roads south of Manila.  Otherwise, nope, it's primarily expressway names (i.e. SCTEX, NLEX).

Wonder if this will change once the North Luzon West Expressway project is complete (which is essentially the SCTEX and TPLEX as one road) and when the following two projects are finished on NLEX: north extension for a more direct connection with it, and south extension through Manila on the Harbor Link.  I could see the SLEX/Metro Manila Skyway/NLEX being one route number (maybe with the Harbor Link having a separate number to represent being an alternate route in Manila) and the North Luzon West Expressway being another.

The Harbor Link and the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 create a parallel setup that is like a smaller scale version of the Hollywood/Golden State pair in Los Angeles (or 670 and 70 in Kansas City).  EDSA (kinda like New Jersey's Route 17 on steroids) has been severely overridden with traffic for years due to the lack of such a through limited-access route, something that will change dramatically in the coming months.

Wait Isn't Skyway3 also supposed to be like the Manila version of the I-710 gap too.

Here is the newest expressway in the Philippines and it opened in December 2016 Also the West Valley Fault has been talked about as Manila's version of the Hayward Fault was nearby one of the expressways.

[bing101]

The DPWH introduced expressway numbering in 2014. For example E1 is the North Luzon Expressway. Did you see any of those route numbers signed?

I saw maybe one sign for a Route 68 on local roads south of Manila.  Otherwise, nope, it's primarily expressway names (i.e. SCTEX, NLEX).

Wonder if this will change once the North Luzon West Expressway project is complete (which is essentially the SCTEX and TPLEX as one road) and when the following two projects are finished on NLEX: north extension for a more direct connection with it, and south extension through Manila on the Harbor Link.  I could see the SLEX/Metro Manila Skyway/NLEX being one route number (maybe with the Harbor Link having a separate number to represent being an alternate route in Manila) and the North Luzon West Expressway being another.

The Harbor Link and the Mero Manila Skyway Stage 3 create a parallel setup that is like a smaller scale version of the Hollywood/Golden State pair in Los Angeles (or 670 and 70 in Kansas City).  EDSA (kinda like New Jersey's Route 17 on steroids) has been severely overridden with traffic for years due to the lack of such a through limited-access route, something that will change dramatically in the coming months.

Apparently in rural areas of the Philippines Highways are numbered like state Highways. Except in this case its AH-26 all videos are from Pinoy Joyride.

[bing101]

http://pba.inquirer.net/teams/nlex-road-warriors


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NLEX_Road_Warriors


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Luzon_Expressway


Interestingly the investors of North Luzon Expressway even manage to own a Basketball team in the PBA.

[TheStranger]

Wait Isn't Skyway3 also supposed to be like the Manila version of the I-710 gap too.

Not really.

1. Skyway Stage 3 is under construction, using the right of way of existing roads for an elevated structure above (as opposed to the proposed 710 tunnel and the previously proposed 710 surface route). 
2. I don't think it was proposed 50+ years ago

[bing101]

Oddly enough Manila Skyway was supposed to have a double Decker section and it had some resemblance of Alaska Viaduct in Seattle or the Cypress Freeway in Oakland pre-Loma Prieta quake.
But wait Manila has their own version of Hayward Fault? How is this double Decker section supposed to meet quake standards. Like the Bay Area, Manila has sections of their city in Bay Mud.

[TheStranger]

Recent video of the current construction along the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3.

[english si]

Apparently in rural areas of the Philippines Highways are numbered like state Highways. Except in this case its AH-26 all videos are from Pinoy Joyride.

The sole Asian Highway in the Philippines pre-dates the numbering of other roads, which is still rolling out, IIRC.

[DeaconG]

Was checking out dmitirvalencia's latest YouTube posting on the dedication of the NAIAX and well...this happened:

[bing101]

https://cuervopropertyadvisory.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/decentralization-of-metro-manila-and-the-benefits-for-regional-expansion/

Umm say economic growth actually spread to other parts of the Philippines how will this play out in terms of Road building.

[TheStranger]

More Dmitrivalencia videos to share:

- EDSA, the surface boulevard that has borne the brunt of Metro Manila north-south traffic for decades (and is being bypassed by the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and NLEX-SLEX Connector Road projects)

- December 2017 updates on Skyway construction.  Lots of pillars in the north segment along Araneta Avenue and Bonifacio Avenue heading towards the Balintawak Interchange

- TPLEX extension to Pozorrubio now open as of this week