- NLEX Corporation will temporarily waive toll collection on the northbound portion of North Luzon Expressway from Balintawak to Meycauayan starting March 24
- The move is in response to the call of Transport Secretary Vince Dizon for NLEX Corp. to waive toll at the area affected by the accident at the Marilao Interchange Bridge on March 19
- The temporary toll relief will remain in effect until all four lanes of the Marilao northbound area are reopened
- The Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations implored DOTr to issue a show cause order compelling TRB and NLEX Corp. “to explain why they should not be sanctioned and penalized for gross negligence in addressing the hazardous state of that bridge”
NLEX Corporation will temporarily waive toll collection on the northbound portion of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Balintawak to Meycauayan starting March 24.
The move is in response to the call of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon for NLEX Corp. to waive toll at the area affected by the accident at the Marilao Interchange Bridge on March 19.
The temporary toll relief will remain in effect until all four lanes of the Marilao northbound area are reopened, NLEX Corp. said in a statement.
“We ask for the motoring public’s patience and understanding as we fast-track repairs and work to restore normal traffic flow as soon as possible,” the tollway operator said.
In response to NLEX Corp.’s move, DOTr in a separate statement extended its gratitude to the tollway operator.
“This swift action between the government and the private sector shows commitment to helping commuters as this immediate solution will help ease the burden of the affected motorists and passengers while we work on opening all affected lanes the soonest possible time,” DOTr said.
NLEX Corp. had to close the middle lanes of NLEX Marilao Interchange Bridge on March 19 after an 18-wheeler truck struck the bridge because it exceeded the vertical clearance. Two of the bridge girders sustained severe damage from the impact, requiring repairs.
NLEX Corp. earlier said it has dedicated teams to check if the height of vehicles is over the vertical clearance of bridges along the expressway. The involved truck, however, did not pass the truck lane.
To help reduce congestion in the northbound direction, an additional lane was opened on March 20, increasing the total number of usable lanes to three. Furthermore, a zipper lane will be opened in the southbound direction when conditions allow.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, NLEX Corp. said it expects to reopen all four lanes by the end of March.
NLEX Corp. has filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property against the driver and owners of the involved truck.
For its part, the Land Transportation Office immediately issued a show cause order to the truck company and its driver.
The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has already asked NLEX Corp. to explain why it should not face penalties for allowing a truck with excessive vertical clearance to enter the toll plaza, damaging the bridge.
Relatedly, the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations (ACTOO) in a statement implored DOTr to issue a show cause order compelling TRB and NLEX Corp. “to explain why they should not be sanctioned and penalized for gross negligence in addressing the hazardous state of that bridge.”
ACTOO noted that the dimensions of cargo containers strictly adhere to international standards.
The group explained: “NLEX is a national highway, meant to be accessible to all types of vehicles, including and most importantly the trucks that transport essential commodities in and out of Metro Manila from the North. The said bridge is a substandard structure, a problem TRB and NLEX have known about for a long time.”
ACTOO said it has repeatedly called on TRB to fulfill its mandate of monitoring the quality of service provided by NLEX Corp. “instead of choosing to prioritize the unjustified and relentless approval of toll fee increases.”
ACTOO noted that trucks, like other vehicles, are paying users of NLEX and are in fact paying three times higher fees.
“It is NLEX’s absolute responsibility to ensure that its roads and infrastructure are safe, free from hazards, and built to appropriate standards for all users. Likewise, TRB is duty-bound to enforce strict oversight and guarantee that NLEX upholds its obligations,” ACTOO said.
Moreover, ACTOO said “shifting the blame to the driver and truck owner involved in the accident is nothing but a disgraceful attempt by NLEX to evade responsibility.”
“This reckless disregard for accountability is an insult to every motorist who relies on NLEX for safe passage. The trucker was not the cause of this tragedy-he was a victim of NLEX’s gross negligence-and, indirectly, that of TRB,” ACTOO said.
