MANILA, Philippines – Travelers passing along Laguna this Undas can now take an alternate route as the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) will be opened on Wednesday, October 30.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced the opening date on October 22, as an advisory to motorists hoping to pay respects to their departed loved ones. 

The 4-lane, 45-kilometer tollway aims to decongest Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road, Governor’s Drive, and Aguinaldo Highway. The first segment is expected to cut travel time from 45 minutes to just 10 minutes for an estimated 10,000 cars.

Aside from easing traffic, the CALAX is envisioned to be the most modern expressway in the country, featuring technology such as an automatic license plate recognition system, IP-based speed detection cameras, and high-definition CCTV cameras. These technological installments will enable more efficient and safer travels for motorists.

The DPWH and MPCALA Holdings broke ground for the expressway last March.

On the morning of Wednesday, October 23, workers were finishing the last portions of the first segment to be opened. DM Consunji Incorporated employees were also supervising the construction. DMCI is the contractor for the 18-km Laguna section of the CALAX.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said the opening was timed to ease the expected traffic brought about by the long weekend of Undas.

“Ang gusto namin maging passable by [October] 30, bago po mag-Undas…. Siyempre, marami din bibiyahe sa long weekend. We expect na [mas] mataas ang traffic, kaya tina-timing-an namin para at least magamit na po ‘to at makakabawas sa traffic sa long weekend,” Villar said during an inspection of the expressway on Wednesday.

(We want to make it passable by October 30, before Undas…. Of course, a lot of people will be traveling during the long weekend. We expect increased traffic, that’s why we are timing it so that it will be utilized and that it will reduce traffic during the long weekend.)

The expressway will initially open entry and exit points at Mamplasan in Biñan, Laguna, and Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road.

Overall, the CALAX will have 8 interchanges, namely: 

• Cavitex Connection to Open Canal Interchange
• Open Canal Interchange to Governor’s Drive Interchange
• Governor’s Drive Interchange to Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange
• Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange to Silang East Interchange
• Silang East Interchange to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange
• Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange to Laguna Boulevard Interchange
• Laguna Boulevard Interchange to Laguna Technopark Interchange
• Laguna Technopark Interchange to Mamplasan Barrier

The entire length of the expressway is set to be completed by June 2022. – Rappler.com