The Toll Regulatory Board has requested NLEX Corp. to explain why it should not face penalties for the bridge damage caused by an over-height truck at the toll plaza.
The TRB’s request followed a March 19 incident where an 18-wheeler truck collided with the Marilao Interchange Bridge, causing expressway traffic congestion.
Due to expressway traffic congestion, Transport Secretary Vince Dizon instructed NLEX to open additional lanes and waive toll fees for motorists in the Balintawak to Marilao area.
Dizon argued that it is only reasonable for NLEX to waive toll from motorists passing the northbound side of the expressway while bridge repairs are underway.
“It would be doubly painful for motorists if they were charged the full toll while they were stuck in traffic for hours even though they were only traveling a short distance. This is only a small consolation for the inconvenience suffered by motorists and passengers,” Dizon said.
Aside from the toll holiday for the affected NLEX segment, Dizon also said that it is necessary to allocate additional lanes to immediately address traffic congestion.
In response, the NLEX already opened one additional lane—providing a total of three lanes to allow faster flow of traffic.
NLEX, on the other hand, filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property against the driver and the owners of the truck.
For its part, the Land Transportation Office immediately issued a show cause order to the truck company and its driver.
Dizon assured the public that the DOTr and its attached agencies are working closely with NLEX to repair the damaged bridge as quickly as possible.
“We are in close coordination with NLEX management and we thank them for their urgent response to the incident and their cooperation to mitigate traffic,” according to Dizon.
“President Marcos always said that time should be returned to the people. So, we should fix this immediately, so that motorists’ passengers are not stuck in traffic for hours,” Dizon said.
The transport chief also said that the repair works for the bridge should be completed in less than two weeks.