MANILA - Thousands of motorists are expected to return to Metro Manila after the long weekend with expressway operators estimating that traffic jams will start at around 3 p.m. Tuesday and until Wednesday night.

Expressway operators reiterated their advice for motorists to travel during off-peak hours as it expects a 10 percent increase in traffic volume.

Metro Pacific Tollways-led NLEX Corporation said it has prepared for a possible traffic jam by deploying additional traffic marshalls, toll lane personnel, and patrol crew members.

The company offers free towing service to the nearest exit for Class 1 vehicles until 6 a.m. of Nov. 2.

Motorists may also check the traffic situation before heading to their destinations, with NLEX highlighting that traffic advisories are regularly posted on the company’s official Facebook and Twitter accounts @nlexexpressways.

They can also call the hotline number (02) 1-35000.

With the expected gridlock, road works and lane closures along the NLEX-SCTEX mainline are suspended except for the Candaba Viaduct, SCTEX Dinalupihan and areas where safety repairs will be necessary.

Metro Pacific Tollways created an acronym for the motorists suitable for the Halloween season:

• M - May sapat na balanse sa Easytrip RFID
• U - Unahin ang kaligtasan (defensive driving ika nga)
• L - Laging i-check ang kondisyon ng sasakyan at sarili
• T - Tumawag sa 1-3500 kung may emergency
• O - Oras ng pagbiyahe ay planuhin

One of the motorists, Essen Miranda, made sure her RFID had enough load before pushing through with their travel to a cemetery in Pangasinan Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, at SLEX, traffic remains light as of noontime Tuesday.

The San Miguel Corporation-led expressway's staff are monitoring the traffic situation inside a command center.

A traffic jam at the SLEX northbound lane is expected from 3 p.m. onwards until tomorrow Wednesday.

The staff said they expect heavy traffic along Calamba entry, where motorists from Batangas, Quezon, and San Pablo, Laguna will pass through. Entrance to the elevated Skyway may also experience heavy traffic flow where vehicles from MCX will merge.

For road assistance, motorists may contact the following hotlines:

• SLEX 09176877539
• SKYWAY SOMCO 09175398762
• AT STAR TOLL 09175117827

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