A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to increase the speed limits on expressways citing that the basis for the speed limits was already outdated.
In a GMA News report, Ilocos 1st District Representative Ronald Singson said there is a need to adjust the maximum speed limits on the toll roads because these are based on laws enacted in 1984.
Singson proposes the speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour (kph) for buses to 120 kph and the maximum speed limit for buses and other vehicles from 100 kph to 140 kph.
“The safety features of the vehicles now provide that it can go faster and also safely…The aim of the bill is to introduce an optimal safety speed in certain areas of the expressway,” Singson said.
He also said that he already tried driving at 140/kph on an expressway from Balintawak to Pangasinan.
“With a speed limit of 100kph, siguro mga 3.5 hours ‘yon. Pero there’s one time nagka-emergency kami, biniyahe namin yon ng 140kph ‘yung whole stretch, gabi.. It only took us two hours,” he added.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO), expressed support for the proposed bill but the agency said stricter road safety measures should also be implemented should the bill be enacted into law.
“If it will be set to 140kph or 120 kph, our concern in the agency is that we enact stricter rules as to road safety lang po,” said LTO official Zoj Daphne Usita-Angustia.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said that main expressways are based on the 1984 guidelines.
“While we recognize mobility as the primary intent of increasing the speed, we need to recognize the safety component of the road,” DPWH Bureau of Quality and Safety Assistant Director Jonathan Araullo said.
