Transport chief to NLEX: Waive toll in damaged Marilao bridge segment

Metro Manila, Philippines - The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corp. must waive toll in an area affected by the damaged Marilao Interchange Bridge, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said on Friday, March 21.

In a chance interview in San Juan City, Dizon said the tollway operator “owes it to the public” to do so, particularly on the northbound portion of Balintawak to Marilao.

“Walang dapat babayaran ang kababayan natin habang ginagawa natin habang 1.5 hours silang nakabinbin diyan. They owe it to the public na huwag muna sila maniningil for that segment na tinamaan,” he said.

[Translation: Our countrymen should not be required to pay while they are stranded there for 1.5 hours. They owe it to the public not to charge for that segment that was damaged.]

Dizon said he personally encountered traffic congestion on Thursday en route to Pampanga, and was stuck in the segment for over one and half hours.

On March 19, an 18-wheeler truck bound for Bataan hit the interchange bridge, severely damaging two of its girders. According to the toll operator, the vehicle exceeded the bridge’s 4.27m vertical clearance limit by 0.64m.

NLEX said it needs to completely replace bridge girders, which may take two to three weeks.

Dizon said he wants repairs finished in a week.

“Hindi pa nila nagrereply sakin if kaya ba nila ng one week…kasi na-compromise ang integrity ng bridge so kailangan suportahan muna nila iyon,” he said.

[Translation: They haven't replied to me yet if they can handle it for a week... because the structural integrity of the bridge has been compromised, so they need to support it first.]

The transportation chief said the Land Transportation Office and Toll Regulatory Board issued a show-cause order to NLEX on how the vehicle was allowed to pass through. He said a similar order was given to the trucking company and its driver.

In a statement, NLEX Corp. said it acknowledges Dizon’s call for toll relief. However, it didn’t give a concrete response if it would heed the transport chief’s demand.

“We understand the concerns of the DOTr and our stakeholders about the slower travel along Marilao because of the incident and we have undertaken immediate measures to alleviate congestion,” the toll operator said.

NLEX Corp. vowed to reopen four lanes in the northbound portion by the end of March. Three lanes in the affected segment are currently accessible to motorists.