Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway

The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) is a 93.77-kilometer (58.27 mi) four-lane expressway north of Manila, in the Philippines, built by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), a government owned and controlled corporation under the Office of the President of the Philippines. Started on April 5, 2005, the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) is the country’s longest expressway at 93.77 kilometers (58.27 mi).


Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway
Map of expressways in Luzon, with the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway in orange
Route information
Maintained by NLEx Corporation
Length93.8 km (58.3 mi)
ExistedApril 28, 2008–present
Component
highways
  • R-8 R-8 (Mabalacat to Tarlac)
  • E1 (Subic to Tarlac)
Restrictions
  • Motorcycles below 400cc
Major junctions
North end E1 (Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway) / N58 (Santa Rosa–Tarlac Road) in Tarlac City
 
South end E4 (Subic–Tipo Expressway) in Hermosa, Bataan
Location
Major cities
Towns
Highway system
  • Roads in the Philippines

Commercial operations started on April 28, 2008, with the opening of the Subic–Clark Segment and Zone A of the portion of Clark-Tarlac Segment. The opening of Zones B and C of the remaining Clark–Tarlac Segment on July 25, 2008 signaled the full operations of the SCTEx.[1]

The construction of the expressway seeks to provide a more efficient transport corridor between Subic Bay Freeport, the Clark Freeport Zone, and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac, foster development on the municipalities served, and connecting major infrastructures such as the Seaport in Subic and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark.

The southern terminus of the expressway is in Barangay Tipo, Hermosa, Bataan, located near the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales. It then passes through the Clark Freeport Zone in two interchanges: Clark North and Clark South. The expressway is linked to the North Luzon Expressway through the Mabalacat Interchange, and its northern terminus is at Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway in Barangay Amucao, Tarlac City.

The expressway crosses the 4 rivers in Central Luzon region. The rivers along SCTEx are Dinalupihan River in Bataan, Gumain River in Floridablanca and Pasig–Potrero River in Porac, both in Pampanga, and Sacobia River in Bamban, Tarlac.

Route description

The entirety of SCTEx is built as a four-lane expressway mostly laid out on embankment, with some sections using cuts to traverse hilly areas. All the exits require toll payment, and toll plazas are laid on the termini of the expressway. The expressway forms part of Expressway 1 (E1), with the Clark–Subic segment being a spur of E1. It is unsigned and only appearing in Department of Public Works and Highways official number route maps. Various power lines, most notably the Concepcion–Clark transmission line of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) from Clark North Exit to Concepcion, Tarlac, utilize a significant portion of the expressway for economic reasons.

Hermosa to Mabalacat
Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway near Floridablanca in Pampanga
A portion of SCTEx in Bataan
SCTEX in Bataan

SCTEX starts at the east end of the Subic-Tipo Expressway in Barangay Tipo in Hermosa, Bataan. The expressway is built alongside the older Jose Abad Santos Avenue (N3) until Dinalupihan exit, where the expressway curves northward. The Jose Abad Santos Avenue passes under SCTEx. The expressway follows a mostly straight route up to Floridablanca, at entering Pampanga, where the expressway curves to the northeast before Floridablanca Exit. It curves toward the northwest and back to the northeast before Porac Exit. Alviera, a mixed-use area being developed in Porac, Pampanga, lies near Porac Exit, that serves as its access to and from the expressway. It crosses the Pasig-Potrero River at approach to Angeles, and curves eastward and then northward near Clark Freeport and Clark International Airport. Clark South Exit, which serves those areas, lies near Mabalacat Interchange, with the exits being one kilometer apart from each other. The segment ends at the Mabalacat Interchange, where it meets the Clark Spur Road that links SCTEX with North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Mabalacat to Tarlac City
A portion of SCTEx near Concepcion, Tarlac. The Concepcion-Clark transmission line of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines can be seen on both sides of the highway.

The expressway becomes part of Radial Road 8 at Mabalacat Interchange, where its main destination changes to Tarlac City and Baguio. The roadway runs at the boundary of Clark Freeport and Mabalacat city proper, where the abandoned Philippine National Railways (PNR) main line to Dagupan and San Fernando, La Union also lies. MacArthur Highway (N2) parallels the expressway up to Tarlac City.

Leaving Clark Freeport, Clark North Exit comes before the expressway, where it curves and then crosses MacArthur Highway at Barangay Dolores, where a half-partial cloverleaf interchange, serving only northbound traffic, connects the two. Approaching Tarlac, the expressway crosses over the Sacobia River through a bridge mentioned before. The first service areas on the expressway, one serving northbound traffic, and the other serving southbound traffic, apart by one kilometer, comes before Concepcion Exit. The expressway passes near the poblacion of Concepcion, then over agricultural land of Tarlac City and La Paz. Hacienda Luisita Exit, that serves Hacienda Luisita as well as connecting MacArthur Highway and serving barangays along its connecting road, comes before the northern end of the expressway at Tarlac City Exit. A new toll plaza built on the main route serves Tarlac City Exit, whose toll gates are removed with its opening. The exit will serve as a future interchange with the under-construction Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX). Past Tarlac City Exit, Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway becomes Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX) northward.

History
Logo used from 2008–2017. Still used alternatively.

Construction

The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway or SCTEx Project was initiated under the administration of former President Joseph Estrada with an original project cost of ₱15.73 billion.[2] Construction was started in 2005 under the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It is the longest tollway in the Philippines that connects Subic, Clark, and Tarlac. It was completed with a project cost of ₱34.981 Billion.[2]

The original project for the expressway is divided into segments, the 50.5-kilometer (31.4 mi) Subic-Clark segment, and the 43.27-kilometer (26.89 mi) Clark–Tarlac segment. The contractors for the project are a joint venture of Kajima, Obayashi, JFE Engineering, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, for the Subic-Clark segment, and a joint venture of Hazama, Taisei, and Nippon Steel, for the Clark-Tarlac segment. Consultation were provided by a joint venture of Oriental Consultant, Katahira & Engineering International, and Nippon Koei Co. Ltd.

The total cost of the project equals ₱34.907 billion (USD 692599206.35). 78% of the cost were funded by way of a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-with an interest rate of 0.95% per annum; 22% represents the BCDA counterpart.

The total cost for the construction of the expressway is ₱34.957 billion. It was sourced through a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) amounting to ¥41.93 billion or ₱23.06 billion-with an interest rate of 0.95% per annum.[3][4][5][6]

Soft opening

On March 18, 2008 at exactly 1 pm, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo opened the Subic – Clark segment of the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway for the Holy Week Dry Run. This helped the motorists celebrating Holy Week in Zambales and Bataan. The Dry Run was free and for Class 1 Vehicles Only. The Holy Week Dry Run was from March 18: 1 PM to 5:30 PM and March 19 to 24: 5:30 AM to 5:30 PM because the expressway had no lights yet.

Subic–Clark segment opening

On April 28, 2008 at exactly 12 noon, BCDA Announced the Subic–Clark Segment of the SCTEx was now open to all vehicles. BCDA said that travel time from Manila to Subic via North Luzon Expressway would now only take 1 Hour and 40 Minutes while the travel time from Clark to Subic would only take 40 minutes. Exit to Dolores (formerly Clark North A Exit) continues to MacArthur Highway.

Clark–Tarlac segment opening

On July 25, 2008, the BCDA announced the opening of the Clark–Tarlac segment of the expressway. Travel time from Clark to Tarlac was reduced to only 25 minutes and to travel the entire length of the SCTEx would only take about 1 hour. At the same time, the travel time from Manila to Tarlac via NLEx and the SCTEx would only take 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Operations and maintenance

The expressway is part of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority's Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway Project or SCTEP, which aims to connect the ecozones of Subic and Clark. The joint-venture of First Philippine Infrastructure Development Corporation (FPIDC), Tollways Management Corporation and Egis Projects, the same concessionaires of the North Luzon Expressway, would handle all the operations and maintenance of the expressway. The First Philippine Infrastructure Development Corporation is a subsidiary of First Philippine Holdings, a holding company under the Lopez Group of Companies with core investments in power and tollways, and strategic initiatives in property and manufacturing. The FPIDC was eventually sold to Metro Pacific Investments Corporation in 2008.

The SCTEx business and operating agreement between the BCDA and the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), and its holdings companies Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), was signed July 25, 2011. Under the business and operating agreement, MNTC will operate and manage SCTEx for 33 years, while relieving BCDA of the heavy financial burden of paying the ₱34-billion debt to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). By virtue of the Agreement, the SCTEx can be considered as having been built at no cost to Government.

₱25.737 billion of the total project cost represents direct costs such as expenses incurred for the construction of the SCTEX. The indirect costs of ₱7.146 billion include land acquisition, consultancy services, project management expenses and taxes and duties. Financing costs of ₱2.074 billion include the Department of Finance guarantee fee and JBIC loan interest during the construction period. Toll Fees are approved by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB)[7]

Technical specifications
  • Name: Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway
  • Concession holder: NLEX Corporation
  • Operator: Tollways Management Corporation
  • Length: 93.8 kilometers (58.3 mi)
  • Concession starting date: BCDA: Q3 2008, MNTC: 2016
  • Concession ending date: BCDA: 2016, MNTC: October 31, 2043
  • Highway exits: 12
  • Lanes: 4 Lanes (2 Lanes each direction)
  • Toll plazas: 3
  • Rest and Service Areas: 4
  • Minimum Height Clearance on Underpasses: 4.88 meters (16.0 ft)

Toll
Tipo toll plaza in Hermosa, Bataan, before the toll system integration with NLEx.

The toll system of Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway is a closed road system that uses cards with magnetic strips, and from March 2016, electronic toll collection, using the Easytrip system by its concessionaire, Manila North Tollways Corporation, is introduced, eventually integrating the toll system of the expressway with North Luzon Expressway's. Before March 2016, the toll system is completely independent, with toll collection from NLEx and vice versa being done at a toll plaza on Clark Spur Road in Mabalacat, until the structure's demolition following the toll system integration.

On March 2016, the integration of the North Luzon Expressway and the SCTEx was completed, in time for the Holy Week exodus. Among the integration plans which costed 650 million pesos are the reduction of toll collection stops, construction of additional toll plazas and the conversion of the electronic toll collection of the two expressways into a single system.[8]

Also, with the government's thrust towards toll road interoperability, Autosweep of the SMC Corporation which operates SLEx, Skyway, STAR Tollway, NAIAX, and TPLEx has been accepted as a mode of payment in SCTEx since March 2018.

The toll rates, by kilometer travelled and vehicle class are as follows:

Class Toll
Class 1
(Cars, Motorcycles, SUVs, Jeepneys)		 ₱2.67/km
Class 2
(Buses, Light Trucks)		 ₱5.35/km
Class 3
(Heavy Trucks)		 ₱8.03/km

Services

From 2016, the SCTEx has two service areas in Concepcion, Tarlac, north of the Sacobia River. One of the service areas is on the northbound lanes and the other one is on the southbound lanes. The northbound service area is composed of a PTT gas station and a 7-Eleven store. The southbound service area is composed of a Seaoil gas station and CityMall shopping mall. Both service areas include a future expansion to accommodate additional retail and parking space.

Exits

Exits are numbered by kilometer posts. Exits north of NLEx continues the numbering from the NLEx. It is unclear at this time where kilometer zero is located for exits south of NLEx. 

ProvinceCity/MunicipalitykmmiExitNameDestinationsNotes
BataanHermosa915791Tipo E4 (Subic–Tipo Expressway) – SubicWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; continues west as E4 (Subic–Tipo Expressway).
9157Tipo interchange toll plaza (electronic toll collection, cash payments)
Dinalupihan10766107Dinalupihan N301 (Roman Superhighway) – Dinalupihan, HermosaTrumpet interchange; connects with Roman Superhighway
PampangaFloridablanca11773Rest stop (Southbound)
12477Rest stop (Northbound)
12578125FloridablancaFloridablancaTrumpet interchange; access to Basa Air Base
Porac13986139PoracPoracTrumpet interchange; access to Alviera
Pasig–Potrero Bridge over the Pasig–Potrero River
AngelesNo major junctions
Mabalacat14993149Clark South Clark International Airport, Clark Global City, AngelesFolded diamond interchange or partial cloverleaf interchange; access to the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone via Clark Gateway and Manuel A. Roxas Avenue
150–
88		93–
55		150
88		Mabalacat E1 (Clark Spur Road) – NLEx, Manila, MabalacatTrumpet interchange; signed as exit 88 southbound
915791Clark North Clark International Airport, Clark Freeport and Special Economic ZoneDirectional T interchange
935893Dolores N2 (MacArthur Highway) – Dolores, BambanHalf Y/folded diamond interchange; northbound exit and entrance only
TarlacBambanSacobia Bamban Main Bridge over the Sacobia River
10062New Clark CityBamban, New Clark City, CapasTrumpet interchange; access to New Clark City
Concepcion10163PTT service area (northbound)
10263Seaoil service area (southbound)
10364103Concepcion N213 (Magalang–Concepcion Road) – Concepcion, CapasTrumpet interchange; access with the Concepcion–Magalang Road.
Tarlac City11873118Hacienda LuisitaHacienda Luisita, San Miguel (Tarlac City), Sta. Ignacia, CamilingHalf trumpet interchange. Northbound exit and southbound entrance. Access to Hacienda Luisita Industrial Park
H. Luisita toll plaza (2013–2014, demolished)
Tarlac toll plaza (electronic toll collection, cash payments. from March 18, 2016)
12276122Tarlac N58 (Santa Rosa–Tarlac Road) – Baguio, Tarlac City, La Paz, CabanatuanHalf Y/folded diamond interchange; future trumpet interchange with the Central Luzon Link Expressway; interchange toll plaza demolished; continues north as E1 (Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway).
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Closed/former
  •       Incomplete access
  •       Tolled
  •       Route transition
  •       Unopened

Clark Spur Road

The entire route is located in Mabalacat, Pampanga. 

kmmiExitNameDestinationsNotes
E1 (NLEX) – ManilaHalf-Y interchange; eastern terminus; Future trumpet interchange
Mabiga N2 (MacArthur Highway) – MabalacatDiamond interchange
Mabalacat toll plaza (cash payments, demolished)
E1 (SCTEX Main) – Subic, Tarlac City, Baguio (via TPLEx)Trumpet interchange; western end
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

New Clark City Access Road

The entire route is located in Tarlac. It is also known as NCC-SCTEx Access Road or SCTEx-NCC Access Road. 

City/MunicipalitykmmiExitNameDestinationsNotes
BambanSCTEx E1 (SCTEX Main) – Subic, Baguio (via TPLEx)Trumpet interchange
Bamban toll plaza (electronic toll collection, cash payments)
Bamban N2 (MacArthur Highway) – Bamban, CapasCloverleaf interchange
CapasNew Clark CityNew Clark City
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Unopened

References
  1. "SCTEx". Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  2. "Mar markets Noynoy". Daily Tribune. November 15, 2010.
  3. "SCTEx delay worsens as Japan firm seeks new extension". INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.
  4. "BCDA, Japanese contractor asked to explain SCTEx delay". INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.
  5. "Arroyo adviser says SCTEx extension OKd". INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.
  6. "Arroyo order: Open SCTEx, interchanges on time". INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos. Archived from the original on February 22, 2008.
  7. "It's P27.2 billion for SCTEX, in total". INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
  8. Lazaro, Ramon Efren (March 19, 2016). "NLEX, SCTEX integrated, eases northbound travel". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
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