The Pampanga Business Circle has urged the government to complete a connector road leading to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
The group said the road will help address the worsening traffic congestion near the Mexico Toll Plaza.
In two separate letters dated February 9, 2026, Rene G. Romero, senior fellow of the Pampanga Business Circle, urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government to complete the remaining portion of the San Fernando Tourism Road to link MacArthur Highway in Barangay Del Rosario to the Mexico Toll Plaza.
Romero said the road is almost finished but stopped a few meters before the NLEX perimeter fence, preventing its use as an alternate route to the expressway.
The business leader wrote to DPWH-3 Director Arnold R. Ocampo and Mayor Vilma Balle Caluag to seek coordination for the project’s completion.
“At present, the absence of this connector forces all vehicles bound for NLEX Mexico Toll Plaza to pass through already oversaturated access points, contributing to daily gridlock and long travel delays for motorists and commercial vehicles alike,” Romero said.
He added that once operational, the connector will “provide a direct and efficient approach to the expressway, divert a significant volume of vehicles away from overloaded intersections, reduce congestion along the Mexico-Calulut corridor and nearby junctions, and improve overall traffic distribution and travel efficiency.”
“Completing this road is not merely a convenience project but a strategic traffic decongestion measure that will improve road safety, mobility, and economic flow in the area,” he said.
In another letter, Romero asked NLEX Corp. President Luis S. Reñon to initiate a formal review of the intersection layout at the toll plaza entrance.
He described the area as a bottleneck, particularly during peak hours.
Vehicles coming from the Mexico-Calulut-Anao corridor and other points converge within a confined space, according to the business leader.
Romero said large trucks and buses encounter difficulty making turns because of limited turning space, sometimes slowing abruptly and blocking adjacent lanes.
He recommended simplifying access points, improving turning radii for larger vehicles, and separating local and expressway-bound traffic.
Romero also suggested a feasibility study of a compact roundabout to lessen traffic conflict points.
Copies of the letters were furnished to Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., chair of the Regional Development Council 3, Romero said.