Expect occasional lane closures on NLEx, motorists advised
The North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Harbor Link was the first big-ticket project to be completed during the general community quarantine period.
MANILA, Philippines—The private operator of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) expects to complete the repair of two bridges in Pampanga province by the second quarter of the year.
NLEx Corp. said in a statement that the upgrades at the NLEx San Matias Bridge in Sto. Tomas town and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) Pasig-Potrero bridge in Porac—both in Pampanga—were part of an ongoing program to ensure the safety of motorists.
“Just like the other bridges along the NLEx-SCTEx network, San Matias and Pasig-Potrero are essential in facilitating ease of travel and efficient delivery of commodities,” NLEx Corp. president and general manager J. Luigi L Bautista said.
“We are doing the necessary repairs as part of our commitment to keep our assets in good condition and more importantly, provide motorists with a safe and smooth expressway experience,” he added.
Repairs at the 80-meter San Matias Bridge, located between San Fernando and San Simon interchanges, involved link slabs that connect the bridge deck at the southbound portion. The upgrade will also include the strengthening of the bridge support and deck surface.
NLEx, which noted the repairs will require “occasional lane closures”, will be completed within one month.
“The project also involves the use of a Bailey bridge to allow Class 1 and 2 vehicles (cars, vans, small trucks, and buses) to cross over the link slab repair site. A counterflow lane is also open at the northbound carriageway to accommodate Class 3 vehicles or big trucks,” NLex Corp. said.
The other repair work, on the 720-meter Pasig-Potrero Bridge, will also involve strengthening of its support piers.
NLEx Corp. said sheet piles and gabions, or stone-filled wire baskets, will be used to strengthen the structure. The company said the Pasig-Potrero bridge project will be completed within the second quarter of the year.
NLEx Corp. said it was also rehabilitating the five-kilometer Candaba Viaduct with upgrades to its girders and slabs.
In 2021, the Meycauayan and Bigaa bridges in Bulacan were rehabilitated while the Porac and Gumain bridges in Pampanga underwent safety repairs.
