NLEX waives toll in traffic-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines — Starting today, the private operator of the North Luzon Expressway will waive toll for motorists passing through the NLEX northbound from Balintawak to Meycauayan while the repair of the damaged Marilao Bridge is ongoing.

This is in response to Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon’s call on the NLEX Corp. for a toll holiday to compensate motorists affected by traffic jams due to repair works.

The toll relief will take effect at 12 noon today until all four lanes of the Marilao northbound area are reopened, NLEX Corp. said in an advisory on Twitter yesterday.

The Marilao Bridge was damaged when a truck carrying an oversized load tried to pass underneath the structure on March 19.

In an earlier advisory, NLEX Corp. said lanes two and three of the four-lane stretch within the Marilao Interchange Bridge will be closed today until March 28, for safety repair works.

The toll company said “zipper lanes would be opened on the southbound direction when conditions allow.”

Aside from the toll relief, Dizon also previously called on the expressway operator to fast-track the repair works on the damaged bridge.

NLEX Corp. hopes to finish the repair on March 31.

NLEX Corp., a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., operates and maintains NLEX, Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway, Manila-Cavite Expressway and the NLEX Connector Road. — Ramon Efren Lazaro