TRANSPORTATION Secretary Vince Dizon has called on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation to waive toll fees for motorists affected by Wednesday’s collision involving an oversized truck and a bridge.
In a radio interview with Radyo Pilipinas on Friday, Dizon said motorists traveling along the northbound stretch from Balintawak to Marilao should be exempt from toll charges while bridge repairs are ongoing.
“This is just a small consolation for the inconvenience experienced by motorists and passengers,” he said in Filipino.
Dizon also urged NLEX to open more lanes to ease congestion.
Currently, NLEX has added one lane, bringing the total to three operational lanes along the affected segment.
He assured the public that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies are working closely with NLEX to expedite the bridge repairs.
“We are in constant coordination with NLEX management and we appreciate their swift response and cooperation to mitigate the traffic situation,” Dizon said, adding that the repairs are expected to be completed in less than two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has asked NLEX to explain why it should not face penalties for allowing a truck with excessive vertical clearance to enter the toll plaza, which led to the bridge damage.
In response, NLEX has filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting in property damage against the truck driver and its owners.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has also issued a show cause order to the truck company and its driver.
