translated from Spanish: This Sunday the “free flow” system began on Route 78

The Minister of Public Works, Alfredo Moreno, began this Sunday to enable the system of tolling or “free flow” on Route 78, which link the cities of Santiago with San Antonio. The secretary of state noted that “we had said that we were going to have free flow, free passage, in the main entrances and exits of Santiago before festivities, and that is what we are completing today, as part of the Chile Without Barriers plan”. In addition to the new toll that began this Sunday – in the squares of Melipilla I and in the Vespucio side toll of Route 78 – the Lo Prado and Zapata tolls of Route 68, the Angostura toll of The South Route 5, the Lampa toll of Route 5 North and Nor Access East. In this context, Moreno added that “we calculate that in peak hours, this system on this route means a saving of the order of 10 minutes for each pass. So it’s a good gift for Holidays.” Currently, the monthly flow of the entire Route 78 is 4 million vehicles. The Minister stressed that the implementation of the free flow system did not imply an increase in toll rates for users. At the same time, he explained that “there are people who don’t have DNDs. They can continue to operate with the above system, with the payment booths.” “People who don’t pay because they don’t have the TAG and they go through the toll gantry anyway, have the possibility for 30 days to pay through the highway’s website. If after 30 days you have not paid, the fine will be double,” he explained. In the same vein, he added that “if there are people who have not paid and have unpaid fines and do it again, the fee is going to be four times. What we want is for people to occupy the method that they find most comfortable, but for all of us to work together to finance this work.”

Original source in Spanish