Holy Week travel advisory - Northbound

[mikey177]

Since some Tsikoteers might be planning a trip up north during Holy Week (next week na yon), I wanted to give you guys a little heads up regarding traffic hazards.

This is for northbound motorists only, and only covers the area from Tarlac City up to Urdaneta City. Forum members in Bulacan, Pampanga and farther north are welcome to add details to the thread, as are members residing in Tarlac City.

To start off, a portion of McArthur Highway in Tarlac, near Metrotown Mall, is now partially closed to traffic due to the construction of a culvert or whatnot in the middle of the road.

Southbound traffic is now made to turn right here before entering Tarlac City.



However, when you get past Tarlac City, there's a stretch of highway (a few km) that widens to two lanes. Be careful though as some hard-headed motorists still choose to park or stop at the outermost lanes despite posted warnings to the contrary.

[mikey177]

Prepare for a traffic build-up when you reach the bridge at the boundary of Paniqui and Moncada in Tarlac. I posted a few months ago that it was under construction. Well, it's still under construction as you can see here:



The flow of vehicles slows down because the detour at the side of the bridge is really just a drit road with large stones that wreak havoc on your car's suspension... maalikabok pa.

[mikey177]

If you're headed up to Baguio, do me a favor... don't pass through Urdaneta City!!!

Actually, I have no control over where you choose to pass, but I must warn you that traffic here is bad even on normal days because several portions of the highway have been under construction for the longest time in connection with the road-widening project of the DPWH. Here's a nasty area in front of the new public market:



The bridge after the main intersection is also under construction, as is the area immediately after it, all the way to the next intersection that leads to Manaoag:



Incidentally, if you're planning to go to Manaoag, I suggest heading to the next town and taking the Binalonan-Manaoag road instead. Several bridges in the Urdaneta-Manaoag are under repair and are essentially one-way dirt roads, and you'll end up cursing the high heavens by the time you get to the church. Take Binalonan instead; it's a longer drive, but the highway is smooth and unobstructed.

I'd appreciate it if the Tarlac tsikoteers can give an update on the road work there since I only visit the place twice a week now. The construction work may be completed before Holy Week and I might not find out about it right away.

I hope this thread helps you guys. Stay safe on the road.

[nicolodeon]

Some addtions: if you're planning to take McArthur Hiway, road widening and road rehabilitation projects are going on from Meycauayan (Bulacan) up to Balagtas (Bulacan). At the Bocaue crossing, a flyover construction is going on so expect heavy traffic.

[cutedoc]

a few short(long cut) to avoid the metrotown mcdonald intersection traffic, if you are coming from south going north, make a riht turn at LC bldg, where you see Ellens skin care giant poster, diretso lang (irrigation road to) lalabas ka sa may likod na ng metrotown mall, less traffic(perhaps)

[mikey177]

Thanks for the added info, nicolodeon.

When I passed through Mabalacat, Pampanga last month after exiting from NLEX, there was a detour before the reaching Bamban because of contruction work for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project. Does anyone know if the detour is still being used?

[oldblue]

I just came back from Baguio from a 6-day vacation. yes it's true andami road detours ngaun dyan particularly sa Pangasinan and Tarlac.

try to travel at night or dawn para maluwag. we left manila around 445pm and reached Baguio at 10pm with one hour stop-over sa Luisita. same thing pauwi, we left 4am and reached Manila at 930pm with a 30-minute stopover sa Jollibee Expressway.

by 645am na-detour kami sa Tarlac dun sa may palengke ang nag-build up na kagad. and those tricycles on the road from Pangasinan to Tarlac, kung GTA Game lang talaga, sarap banggain.

[boybi]

i was just about to post this.

the construction of the box culvert here in Tarlac City will take 4 months to complete, so expect really heavy traffic here.

to avoid this, northbound motorists can take the magalang-concepcion-la paz-victoria-pura-paniqui route. but avoid this route during night time as there are no street lights in most parts and if you have never passed through this route before.

if you are going to the north to just have a vacation or to relax, meaning, you don't actually live in the north, i advice you go somewhere south nalang.

[boybi]

for those coming back from the north, i strongly advice not to pass through tarlac city. as southbound vehicles are diverted into part of downtown tarlac, including all heavy vehicles!

you may instead pass through gerona-pura-victoria-la paz-concepcion-magalang-NLEX.

[mikey177]

for those coming back from the north, i strongly advice not to pass through tarlac city. as southbound vehicles are diverted into part of downtown tarlac, including all heavy vehicles!

you may instead pass through gerona-pura-victoria-la paz-concepcion-magalang-NLEX.

boybi, saan liliko sa Gerona para madaanan mo yung route na ito? If you're southbound, ito ba yung magle-left ka sa malapit sa Isdaan restaurant?

[boybi]

boybi, saan liliko sa Gerona para madaanan mo yung route na ito? If you're southbound, ito ba yung magle-left ka sa malapit sa Isdaan restaurant?

pwede dyan, sa dulo Victoria na yun.

pwede rin dun sa intersection sa may Total gas station, dadaan ng Pura yun.

[falken]

Thanks for the very timely info guys, will be northbound this Holy Week. Grabe naman yung Paniqui - Moncada bridge construction, when I went to Baguio last Oct.,2005 under construction na yong bridge, up till now sa tingin ko sa pics not yet even half completed.

[mikey177]

...Grabe naman yung Paniqui - Moncada bridge construction, when I went to Baguio last Oct., 2005 under construction na yong bridge, up till now sa tingin ko sa pics not yet even half completed.

To be fair to DPWH, nagtatrabaho naman sila kahit paano. The picture below shows that they've already laid the concrete supports of the new bridge and have cemented the Moncada portion of the bridge. However, I seriously doubt if the bridge will be finished in time for Holy Week. Even their billboard at the side of the bridge showing the construction details (source of funding, contractor, etc.) doesn't indicate any date of completion

[falken]

you may instead pass through gerona-pura-victoria-la paz-concepcion-magalang-NLEX.

Sir boybi, kumusta ba ang daanan na iyan, well paved ba? TIA.

[zero]

the asphalt of the cagayan valley road from sta. rita exit to san miguel, bulacan is terrible on both directions. probably due to the overloaded trucks that ply that area or due to the sub-standard asphalt used by the DPWH.

[vhenok]

Thanks for the very useful info sir mikey!

So to sum it all up, heto yung mga parusa ngayong semana santa on your way North:

1. If you'll use Magalang, on-going yung construction ng Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway before reaching yung junction going to Concepcion.

2. If You'll use Mabalacat, there's a portion na tinamaan din ng S-C-T.

3. Tarlac City (approaching Metrotown Mall stoplight). Mahaba-haba ito.

4. Paniqui-Moncada boundary (bridge construction) - Tagal na nito!

5. Urdaneta City (after Junction going to Dagupan) Ang haba din neto!

6. Urdaneta-Manaoag . yupp...dame road and bridges construction dito tapos puro one lane lang, and most of all, grabe alikabok!

Konti na lang stations of the cross na!

waahhh!!! Now a real pain in the *$$....Holy Week na talaga kaya dapat daw tayong motorists ang magdusa.

It's the main reason kung bakit gabi ako lagi travel dyan, less traffic, less hussle!

As also advised here, you can use alternate routes provided alam nyo. That roads are less travelled kaya medyo unsafe din lalo sa gabi.

Ingat na lang and Happy Motoring!

[oldblue]

Thanks for the very useful info sir mikey!

So to sum it all up, heto yung mga parusa ngayong semana santa on your way North:

1. If you'll use Magalang, on-going yung construction ng Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway before reaching yung junction going to Concepcion.

2. If You'll use Mabalacat, there's a portion na tinamaan din ng S-C-T.

3. Tarlac City (approaching Metrotown Mall stoplight). Mahaba-haba ito.

4. Paniqui-Moncada boundary (bridge construction) - Tagal na nito!

5. Urdaneta City (after Junction going to Dagupan) Ang haba din neto!

6. Urdaneta-Manaoag . yupp...dame road and bridges construction dito tapos puro one lane lang, and most of all, grabe alikabok!

Konti na lang stations of the cross na!

waahhh!!! Now a real pain in the *$$....Holy Week na talaga kaya dapat daw tayong motorists ang magdusa.

It's the main reason kung bakit gabi ako lagi travel dyan, less traffic, less hussle!

As also advised here, you can use alternate routes provided alam nyo. That roads are less travelled kaya medyo unsafe din lalo sa gabi.

Ingat na lang and Happy Motoring!

mas masarap talaga mag-travel sa gabi kasi never ko na-encounter yan mga bottleneck points na naka-enumerate na yan hehehe except yun sa Tarlac may araw na kasi kaya ko napansin hehehe.

[mikey177]

I'm just glad to be of service.

Ingat din lang kung gabi kayo lalakad pag sa mga secondary or less travelled roads kayo dadaan. Coming home late at night from Dagupan and passing the Dagupan-Urdaneta highway, I have twice had to take defensive driving measures because of groups of men who were walking in the middle of the road! Dun ito nangyari paglagpas ng planta ng La Tondeña between Sta. Barbara and Calasiao... ewan ko kung lasing sila o naghihintay ng motorista na hihinto tapos hoholdapin nila. Konti lang kasi bahay sa area na ito. I had to swerve to avoid them, all the while staying on high beam and honking on the horn

Although come to think of it, there is no reason to pass through secondary roads late at night since there is considerably less traffic. Huwag lang kayo dadaan ng sabay-sabay sa gabi

[johnart]

mga bosings I am going this saturday to subic am not that familiar with the roads in the north. will I passing those obstructions and contructions on the road ?

[boybi]

mga bosings I am going this saturday to subic am not that familiar with the roads in the north. will I passing those obstructions and contructions on the road ?

hindi mo na madadaanan mga ito. from NLEX, mag exit ka na sa San Fernando going to Subic.