More than 440,000 vehicles will leave the Región Metropolitana (the Santiago metropolitan region) over the long weekend for the Monday, October 12 holiday, "Encuentro de Dos Mundos". To handle that traffic, the Ministerio de Obras Públicas (MOP, Chile's Ministry of Public Works) put in place a contingency plan running from Friday 9 through Monday, October 12.
CNN Chile reported the plan and outlined the measures announced by the subsecretario de Obras Públicas (Undersecretary of Public Works), Nicolás Balmaceda. BioBioChile put the projection at just over 442,000 vehicles.
According to Balmaceda, departures will peak on Friday 9, with just over 146,000 vehicles, and on Saturday 10, with 139,000. The heaviest return traffic is expected on Monday 12, with 155,000 vehicles heading back to Santiago. The undersecretary said the intercity toll road concessionaires are preparing the plan together with the MOP's Dirección General de Concesiones (Directorate General of Concessions).
The best-known measure is the "peaje a luca", a toll cut to 1,000 pesos for light vehicles. On Friday 9 it will apply from 07:00 to 13:00 on Route 68 (Lo Prado and Zapata toll plazas, heading toward the coast), on Route 5 Sur (Nueva Angostura toll plaza, both directions) and on Route 5 Norte (Las Vegas toll plaza, both directions).
On Saturday 10 the discount will apply again from 07:00 to 10:00, but only at the toll plazas on Route 68 and Route 5 Norte. In addition, on both days there will be a 50% discount between 00:00 and 07:00 at the same four toll plazas.
Trucks will face traffic restrictions on Friday 9 from 12:00 to 19:00. These cover Route 5 Norte northbound, between the Lo Pinto and Llay Llay interchanges, and Route 68 toward the coast, between Vespucio and the Algarrobo interchange.
The restriction will also apply on Route 5 Sur, in both directions, between the Calera de Tango and Pelequén interchanges. On Saturday 10 it will be repeated from 09:00 to 15:00 on the same stretches. Freight vehicles will get a 50% toll discount during the early morning hours.
The concessionaires running the exit routes will add staff and deploy 33 patrol vehicles, 39 tow trucks, seven ambulances, three motorcycles and two rescue vehicles. CNN Chile said the measures will also apply on Monday 12, but did not give hours or toll plazas for the return trip.
The executive secretary of the Comisión Nacional de Seguridad de Tránsito (Conaset, Chile's National Traffic Safety Commission), Alberto Escobar, urged drivers to respect speed limits and to use seat belts and child car seats. He also called on people not to use alcohol or drugs and to plan their trip: "otherwise, be patient and bring water, especially if you are traveling with children".
