NLEX opens zipper lane to ease traffic in anticipation of ‘exodus’ on Holy Wednesday

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The North Luzon Expressway on Wednesday opened a zipper lane southbound from Marilao in Bulacan to the Balintawak Toll Plaza, and between Dau and San Fernando in Pampanga in anticipation of the deluge of vehicles before the Holy Week break.</p><p>In an advisory, NLEX said the zipper lane will be open until tomorrow, Maundy Thursday “until traffic conditions normalize.”</p><p>The zipper lane from San Fernando to Dau, Pampanga was also opened starting at 2 p.m. </p><p>NLEX Traffic Management Head Robin Ignacio said they are expecting around 385,000 vehicles to pass through the expressway daily until Easter Sunday – higher by 10 percent than their normal average.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1912445999190319596&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-04-16T11%3A29%3A18.910895%3A68cd7e31-95f8-4154-8c19-b5b93a5d9ba1%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=ebd81989fadde0ccad3ecbe455b1ffee07461f6b&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:600px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1912445999190319596"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2025/3/8/paano-ginugunita-ng-mga-katoliko-ang-lent-o-kuwaresma-1618"><strong>Paano ginugunita ng mga Katoliko ang Lent o Kuwaresma? </strong></a></div><p>“Mas marami pa ring pa-northbound na ating namo-monitor natin. Marami rin ang pa-southbound – Manila-bound traffic natin,” Ignacio said in a phone interview.</p><p>(There are still more northbound vehicles, but there are already a lot that are southbound, Manila-bound)</p><p>He said the volume of vehicles began rising on Tuesday afternoon.</p><p>Ignacio also noted the heavy to standstill traffic in Mindanao Toll Plaza on Tuesday night, which he attributed to the limited number of lanes opened.</p><p>“Sana dumaan sila dito sa Balintawak kung saan mas marami tayong toll, mas maluwag yung holding area natin as well as yung galing sa Manila Area, Karuhatan area natin,” he said.</p><p>(They can pass through Balintawak, where there are more toll gates and where there is a bigger holding area) </p><p>Aside from this, the NLEX management also urged motorists to have their RFID sticker installed or loaded before their trips to avoid inconveniences.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/15/pnp-says-no-lenten-security-threats-monitored-1501"><strong>PNP says no Lenten security threat monitored </strong></a></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1912432292234154359&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-04-16T11%3A29%3A18.910895%3A68cd7e31-95f8-4154-8c19-b5b93a5d9ba1%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=ebd81989fadde0ccad3ecbe455b1ffee07461f6b&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:600px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1912432292234154359"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><strong>MOTORISTS FLOCK EARLY</strong></div><p>Some motorists decided to travel as early as 9 a.m. this Holy Wednesday to avoid the expected exodus</p><p>This was why Angelito and Julie David decided to leave early from Manila with their family and friends for their vacation in Pampanga.</p><p>“Para maaga kami makapunta sa pupuntahan namin sa Pampanga. Para hindi kami maabutan ng gaano ka-traffic. Rush hour,” said Angelito. </p><p>(So we could get to Pampanga sooner and so we won&#x27;t be caught in too muh traffic during rush hour)</p><p>“Importante magkakasama mga pamilya, magkaka-bonding kasi once a year lang naman ito. Once a year lang namin gagawin ito,” Julie said.</p><p>(It&#x27;s important to be with family for bonding even just once a year)</p><p>Some travelers are also taking extra precautions on the road as they are carrying their pets with them — just like Rosalinda Fallara’s family.</p><p>Fallara said she’s bringing their pets so they could take care of them during their Holy Week vacation in Aurora.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/15/pitx-says-daily-foot-traffic-may-peak-at-200k-on-holy-wednesday-1436"><strong>PITX says daily foot traffic may peak at 200k on Holy Wednesday </strong></a></div><p>“Nag-rental car kami para dire-diretso ang byahe,” she said.</p><p>(We rented a car so we could travel without stopping)  </p><p>The NLEX management said to ease the traffic situation, they already suspended road works. Free towing services for Class One vehicles — most private cars, pickups, vans and motorcycles — are also available during the Holy Week.</p>

<p>The North Luzon Expressway on Wednesday opened a zipper lane southbound from Marilao in Bulacan to the Balintawak Toll Plaza, and between Dau and San Fernando in Pampanga in anticipation of the deluge of vehicles before the Holy Week break.</p>

The North Luzon Expressway on Wednesday opened a zipper lane southbound from Marilao in Bulacan to the Balintawak Toll Plaza, and between Dau and San Fernando in Pampanga in anticipation of the deluge of vehicles before the Holy Week break.

NLEX opens zipper lane to ease traffic in anticipation of ‘exodus’ on Holy Wednesday | ABS-CBN

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NLEX opens zipper lane to ease traffic in anticipation of ‘exodus’ on Holy Wednesday

NLEX opens zipper lane to ease traffic in anticipation of ‘exodus’ on Holy Wednesday

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 16, 2025 07:39 PM PHT

|

Updated Apr 16, 2025 08:30 PM PHT

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Zipper lane

Semana Santa

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