CALAX portion opened, made Tagaytay 'even nearer,' say motorists

Tourists in Tagaytay have attested to how the newly opened Silang Interchange of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) have made the chilly destination even nearer to Metro Manila.

"Mas bumilis mas lumapit ang Tagaytay. Di ka na masistress sa traffic," said Michelle on Mariz Umali's report on "24 Oras."

"Malaking ginhawa dati ganito byahe ngayon. Nabawasan ng malaki," Ariel added.

Motorists using the new subsection can now travel to Tagaytay in only 15 to 20 minutes, and is toll-free until further notice.

"With the latest exit, it will only be 15 to 20 minutes to Tagaytay. It will decongest the traffic from Sta. Rosa and Nuvali," said Arlette Capistrano, Vice President for Communications and Stakeholder Management, at Metro Pacific Tollways South.

Capistrano said that the tollway operator was still waiting for an advisory from the Toll Regulatory Board as regards the payment of toll.

"Itong bagong portion natin ay libre pa sa ngayon," she said.

(The new portion is free as of now.)

With the opening of the Silang-Aguinaldo section, it is estimated that about 5,000 motorists will be added to the usual 28,000 motorists who travel via CALAX on a daily basis.

This latest development is expected to be the beginning of the 45-kilometer stretch of CALAX that will connect Dasmariñas, General Trias, Imus, and Kawit to Cavitex. It is expected to be completed between 2024 to 2025. —NB, GMA Integrated News