Express-Way Updates

[Le Sabre]

Havent heard much news on the southern expressway, colombo-katu , colombo -kandy and outer circular road projects.

Anybody has any updates on these projects so far.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Le Sabre

[asrock]

http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/53794-work-on-northern-expressway-to-start-next-month.html

atlast!

[Reckless]

Nothern and Rathnapura Expressways to be finished by 2017:

http://newsfirst.lk/english/2014/10/president-reveals-expected-year-opening-northern-ratnapura-expressways/59679

[Reckless]

Construction of th Northern Expressway to begin on the 14th:

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_14B/Nov09_1415557694CH.php

[civicferio]

As of what I heard from the officials, here are some details:

- They are going to implement it most probably before the end of this month.

- A card is issued from their customer office (@ thorana junction) for the end users which needs to be pasted on the windshield.

- It is linked to a BoC account of the end user which needs to be topped up.

- The electronic toll gates automatically open when you reach it and the toll is displayed and you are charged.

- They 'might' give a discount for the ones who move to electronic toll system.

Hi All,

Electronic Toll collection (ETC) testing (trial) period is staring from today and will be continued for 2 weeks time. It will operate only between Colombo- Katunayake section only. if you are a user of colombo-Katunayake section you can visit CCC at thorana junction and get more information about it and also you can register if you are willing to. But you must remember this is a trial/test period.

Thanks.

[whmsujith]

Hi All,

Electronic Toll collection (ETC) testing (trial) period is staring from today and will be continued for 2 weeks time. It will operate only between Colombo- Katunayake section only. if you are a user of colombo-Katunayake section you can visit CCC at thorana junction and get more information about it and also you can register if you are willing to. But you must remember this is a trial/test period.

Thanks.

Thanks for the update, I have been waiting this to be implemented for months. BTW what do you mean by CCC?

[civicferio]

Thanks for the update, I have been waiting this to be implemented for months. BTW what do you mean by CCC?

CCC - Customer Care Center

[whmsujith]

CCC - Customer Care Center

ok, thanks.

You can contact this CCC by dialing 1969. Accoring to info I got, in this testing perior only RDA and BOC personnel are allowed to use it.

After testing time we have to register, vehicle with CR to be produced to CCC, if it is a company one, request letter on company letter head and BRC copy to be submitted.

Toll payment can be done through existing BOC account (company vehicles should be used company BOC Acc.) or we can pay BOC any amount and reload our account (like the prepaid phone cards system).

A sticker will be pasted in the windscreen to detect the vehicle.

[asrock]

I hope this will succeed unlike the electronic payment method that was introduced for buses.

[esdeez]

Registered for the ETC system recently. It runs off a card(slightly larger and thicker than a typical Credit Card) which is affixed to your windscreen, and is much less obtrusive than some systems I've seen abroad.

Registration is simple enough. Go to the dedicated ETC Customer Car Center which is basically a converted container near the Thorana Junction (Maps coordinates: 6.967379, 79.900730). There are a few forms to sign, and you need to give them a copy of your vehicle registration book and ID/Driver's License. After which an ETC account is set up, operated by Bank of Ceylon. You don't need to hold a BOC account, but if you do it could be advantageous as there a features such as automatic debiting of your BOC account etc. For none-account holders like myself, you're able to top up your ETC account at any BOC branch by depositing over the counter quoting your ETC account number. There are no charges for obtaining the card per se, although you do need to top up your account with a minimum of Rs. 1000/- when registering.

So far the service is working flawlessly for me, however, until more users are registered the ETC lanes are not operational at peak traffic times on weekdays, as they need all available lanes to process regular paying customers. When using the service, slow down to around 20-30kmph (15kmph is advised) when approaching the barrier (in the dedicated demarcated ETC lane) it will automatically open, whilst the screen to the right will display your journey's charges and your remaining balance. If you're running low on credit then the message board will also prompt you to top up. Oh, you also get text message alerts to top up too if you so wish. All in all a very good system so far. Hopefully it'll be implemented in the Southern Highway soon as well.

[Ruslan]

Registered for the ETC system recently. It runs off a card(slightly larger and thicker than a typical Credit Card) which is affixed to your windscreen, and is much less obtrusive than some systems I've seen abroad.

Registration is simple enough. Go to the dedicated ETC Customer Car Center which is basically a converted container near the Thorana Junction (Maps coordinates: 6.967379, 79.900730). There are a few forms to sign, and you need to give them a copy of your vehicle registration book and ID/Driver's License. After which an ETC account is set up, operated by Bank of Ceylon. You don't need to hold a BOC account, but if you do it could be advantageous as there a features such as automatic debiting of your BOC account etc. For none-account holders like myself, you're able to top up your ETC account at any BOC branch by depositing over the counter quoting your ETC account number. There are no charges for obtaining the card per se, although you do need to top up your account with a minimum of Rs. 1000/- when registering.

So far the service is working flawlessly for me, however, until more users are registered the ETC lanes are not operational at peak traffic times on weekdays, as they need all available lanes to process regular paying customers. When using the service, slow down to around 20-30kmph (15kmph is advised) when approaching the barrier (in the dedicated demarcated ETC lane) it will automatically open, whilst the screen to the right will display your journey's charges and your remaining balance. If you're running low on credit then the message board will also prompt you to top up. Oh, you also get text message alerts to top up too if you so wish. All in all a very good system so far. Hopefully it'll be implemented in the Southern Highway soon as well.

Great News! Just like the EZ-pass in US, would be great if the system permits to top it up using On-line payment method. such as using Credit / Debit Card.

[Batteries]

Registered for the ETC system recently. It runs off a card(slightly larger and thicker than a typical Credit Card) which is affixed to your windscreen, and is much less obtrusive than some systems I've seen abroad.

Registration is simple enough. Go to the dedicated ETC Customer Car Center which is basically a converted container near the Thorana Junction (Maps coordinates: 6.967379, 79.900730). There are a few forms to sign, and you need to give them a copy of your vehicle registration book and ID/Driver's License. After which an ETC account is set up, operated by Bank of Ceylon. You don't need to hold a BOC account, but if you do it could be advantageous as there a features such as automatic debiting of your BOC account etc. For none-account holders like myself, you're able to top up your ETC account at any BOC branch by depositing over the counter quoting your ETC account number. There are no charges for obtaining the card per se, although you do need to top up your account with a minimum of Rs. 1000/- when registering.

So far the service is working flawlessly for me, however, until more users are registered the ETC lanes are not operational at peak traffic times on weekdays, as they need all available lanes to process regular paying customers. When using the service, slow down to around 20-30kmph (15kmph is advised) when approaching the barrier (in the dedicated demarcated ETC lane) it will automatically open, whilst the screen to the right will display your journey's charges and your remaining balance. If you're running low on credit then the message board will also prompt you to top up. Oh, you also get text message alerts to top up too if you so wish. All in all a very good system so far. Hopefully it'll be implemented in the Southern Highway soon as well.

Does this Top up has an Expire date.Do you know?

[esdeez]

Does this Top up has an Expire date.Do you know?

Not sure, but you can call them on 1969 for any questions.

[whmsujith]

Does this Top up has an Expire date.Do you know?

There is no expiry date. When your balance reached Rs. 600/= you will be reminded by a SMS to get your account top up.

[Aquaman]

Does anyone know if Kaduweala to Kadawatha stretch of the highway open yet?

[asrock]

Does anyone know if Kaduweala to Kadawatha stretch of the highway open yet?

Don’t think so, the entrance at Kaduwela was still under construction when I was traveling through that area on last Wednesday. But I hope it'll open soon.

Meanwhile I heard that the construction of the Kadawatha - Kandy expressway will resume on the first week of August, maybe just another "Chandha-Gundu".

[Davy]

Not necessarily an "expressway update", but construction on the Rajagiriya Flyover is to be started in July and end in 2018.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Davy

[asrock]

Any news about the Colombo-Kandy expressway? is it halted?

[gayanath]

Not necessarily an "expressway update", but construction on the Rajagiriya Flyover is to be started in July and end in 2018.

Since all parliamentarians are affecting and knowing the Rajagiriya traffic due to their way to office, they are giving the priority to this. Though this will benefited to general public, this will do mainly for the benefit of parliament members.

There are lots of other junctions in Colombo which should be treated same way but no any sign.

In this sense, some how, if we could manage to include a rule to our new constitution which "use of public transportation for parliament members is compulsory" (Though it will never happens) then its sure that, they will solve the public transportation issues in Sri Lanka.

[Vengeance]

I heard that they have begun soil testing for the flyover at Rajagiriya so hopefully its not just another "never happening" promise.

Agree with "gayanath". Sri Lankan Government should consider improving public transport (railway and buses) if they really want to reduce traffic. Building roads, expressways, flyovers etc will help, but all of them are temporary solutions as somehow people will manage to import more vehicles to fill those gaps.

You see plenty of vehicles on the road everyday with just 1 person in the vehicle. For example, hundred of such people in hundred vehicles will only need 5 or 6 buses to travel to work, provided everyone is seated. Now imagine the road space required for the 5 or 6 buses compared to the 100 vehicles, that's how you manage traffic. The Sri Lankan government (irrespective of the party) will take another 100 years to understand this basic concept which the developed countries have been using from more than 20 - 30 years.

Edited May 15, 2016 by maxxarox

[Sam B]

Btw is there a discount on all fees on Katunayake expressway for ETC users? 

[NRX]

On 3/18/2017 at 11:08 PM, Sam B said:

Btw is there a discount on all fees on Katunayake expressway for ETC users? 

Yes. 10% or something.

[matroska]

46 minutes ago, NRX said:

Yes. 10% or something.

it's 10%.... I have ETC and Colombo-JaEla costs me 180 (instead of 200 ) It's actually quite convenient as well since there's a massive queue at the cash payment toll-gate.  Sadly sometimes cash-paying drivers (who are probably too dumb to read the MTC/ETC overhead signs) get on the ETC lane anad causes a massive delay. 

[gayanath]

6 minutes ago, matroska said:

it's 10%.... I have ETC and Colombo-JaEla costs me 180 (instead of 200 ) It's actually quite convenient as well since there's a massive queue at the cash payment toll-gate.  Sadly sometimes cash-paying drivers (who are probably too dumb to read the MTC/ETC overhead signs) get on the ETC lane anad causes a massive delay. 

As I know, if cash paying driver try to use ETC lane, he will be fined Rs. 500 or 1000. 

[matroska]

23 minutes ago, gayanath said:

As I know, if cash paying driver try to use ETC lane, he will be fined Rs. 500 or 1000. 

yes. Police inform them and then they try to merge back to the MTC lane causing the usual horn blaring and general chaos

[Magnum]

1 hour ago, matroska said:

it's 10%.... I have ETC and Colombo-JaEla costs me 180 (instead of 200 ) It's actually quite convenient as well since there's a massive queue at the cash payment toll-gate.  Sadly sometimes cash-paying drivers (who are probably too dumb to read the MTC/ETC overhead signs) get on the ETC lane anad causes a massive delay. 

How do you get those ETC device? Does the Japanese ones work in SL?