NLEx lanes in Bulacan reopened a week ahead of schedule
CONGESTION A high volume of vehicles fills the northbound lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) at the Marilao interchange bridge, 4 p.m. on Monday. —Photo courtesy of NLEx Corp.
MARILAO, BULACAN, Philippines — The northbound lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) in Marilao, Bulacan, have been reopened early Wednesday, a week earlier than the initial deadline set by the tollway operator following an accident that damaged a bridge in that section.
The congestion on the northbound and southbound lanes, caused by the repair of the Marilao interchange bridge, eased after NLEx reopened two inner lanes ahead of the targeted completion at the end of the month.
“We are pleased to announce that all four lanes of Marilao Northbound are now passable to vehicles since 1 a.m. of March 26, ahead of the projected schedule,” NLEx Co. said in a statement.
READ: NLEx motorists welcome free toll amid traffic woes
Although all lanes are now open, supporting steel poles for the bridge remained in place to allow the concrete to cure properly following the repair. Despite this, traffic flow in the area is expected to improve and return to normal in the coming days.
The Marilao interchange bridge was damaged on March 19 when a truck that exceeded the expressway’s 4.2-meter vertical clearance regulation attempted to pass through.
Originally, repairs were expected to take two weeks, but the tollway operator decided to deploy several teams to work around the clock and worked to ensure the immediate delivery of fabricated steel that would be used in the bridge.
“We thank the motoring public for their utmost understanding and patience while repairs were ongoing. Rest assured that NLEx continues to intensify safety and traffic measures in key areas of the expressway to ensure the safety and convenience of our valued customers,” NLEx Co. added.
Starting Monday noon, NLEx Co. waived the P79 toll at its northbound entry points, including Balintawak, Karuhatan, Paso de Blas, and Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City, up to Meycauayan in Bulacan, as a form of relief for motorists. This was implemented following a request from Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.
With all lanes now operational, toll collection has resumed.
