DOTr to NLEX: Waive toll fees amid heavy traffic due to accident

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) called on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation Friday to waive toll fees in affected areas amid the heavy traffic due to Marilao Interchange Bridge accident.

“I am demanding from NLEX na habang ginagawa ito at naaaberya ang mga kababayan natin, para sa areas, segment na may aberya, ilibre muna nila ang toll,” DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon told reporters.

(I am demanding from NLEX that while this is being fixed and our countrymen are experiencing problems, for the areas, segments that are having problems, they should waive the toll.)

“Wala dapat babayaran ang mga kababayan natin habang ginagawa nila ito at habang one and a half hours ang nakabinbin dyan. They owe it to the public na huwag muna silang maniningil for that segment lang na tinamaan,” he added.

(Our countrymen should not be charged anything while this is being repaired and while the traffic is one and a half hours. They owe it to the public that they should not charge for that segment only that was affected.)

In a statement, Dizon also called on NLEX to allocate additional lanes. According to the DOTr, NLEX opened one more lane, providing a total of three lanes for a faster flow of traffic.

The DOTr said the Toll Regulatory Board asked NLEX to explain why it shouldn’t face penalties after a truck with excessive vertical clearance was able to enter the toll plaza leading to the accident at the bridge.

According to the DOTr, NLEX filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property against the driver and the owners of the truck.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Office issued a show cause order to the truck company and its driver, the DOTr said.

On Thursday, the NLEX Corporation said slow-moving traffic is expected as the repair of the Marilao Interchange Bridge may take two to three weeks after the accident.

“Aabutin po yan ng between two to three weeks para matapos po yung pag-restore,” NLEX senior manager for traffic operations Robin Ignacio said.

(It will take between two to three weeks to complete the restoration.)

During the rush hour, Ignacio said seven to eight kilometers of slow-moving traffic was observed in the area.

On Wednesday, NLEX Corporation announced the temporary closure of two northbound lanes at Marilao Interchange Bridge due to a road crash.

NLEX has dedicated teams to measure the height of vehicles to check if they are overheight for the vertical clearance of the bridges. But the vehicle that hit the Marilao Interchange Bridge was able to sneak in by not using the truck lane, according to Ignacio.

He added that NLEX had been coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the concerned local government unit (LGU) in the past years as asphalt overlays have reduced the vertical clearance of the bridge.

But Ignacio said the DPWH and the LGU denied jurisdiction over the Marilao Interchange Bridge.

Asked about the matter, the DPWH—citing its Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office—maintained that the Marilao Interchange Bridge is not under its jurisdiction but the local government's.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Marilao local government about the matter but it has yet to provide a statement as of posting time. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News