The opening of Clark-Mabalacat-Angeles Road’s (CMAR) three exits in Barangays Dau, Mabiga and San Joaquin is expected to ease traffic in Mabalacat City, according to Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo.
Garbo said CMAR’s northern extension will have its ingress and egress in Barangay San Joaquin which is expected to be opened first this year or early next year.
Garbo said the Mabiga Exit will pass through the Mabalacat Hospital while the Dau Exit will be located at the former Dau Checkpoint.
Relocation of affected families is currently underway in a bid to speed up construction of the three CMAR exits that are expected to decongest Mabalacat City particularly during rush hour.
Under the Memorandum of Agreement agreed before, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and Clark Development Corporation (CDC) will construct the road and bridges while the Mabalacat LGU will open the entrance and exit points of CMAR.
For some reasons, the CMAR exits were not open due to some opposition from affected residents but the right-of-way problem along the CMAR had already been addressed.
Once the three gates are open it will solve the traffic congestion in Mabalacat city proper, said Garbo. “Hopefully this year or early next year 2023 mibusni nala rening atlung gates at muna ya ing San Joaquin rerelocate mina la reng affected families,” said Garbo.
The Mabalacat Gate is heavily congested during rush hour choking flow of traffic leading to the Mabalacat Public Market and to the north.
With the opening of the extension and construction the three exits leading to the MacArthur Highway, motorists exiting the Clark Freeport and heading north will no longer have to pass through the Mabalacat City downtown area.