NLEX Corporation is aiming to open all four lanes of the Marilao Interchange Bridge by the end of March after an 18-wheeler truck exceeding the bridge’s clearance height struck the structure on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
The expressway operator announced on Sunday that the Marilao Interchange Bridge northbound will be temporarily closed for safety repairs from 1 p.m. on Monday, March 24, until 11 pm on Friday, March 28. However, the leftmost and rightmost lanes will remain open to motorists.
The ongoing repairs at the Marilao Interchange Bridge on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) are now in full swing. NLEX officials confirmed that all lanes are expected to be fully reopened by the end of March, in time for the increased traffic during Holy Week.
Image via NLEX Corporation
Repair Efforts and Traffic Management
In the early hours of Wednesday, March 19, an 18-wheeler truck standing 4.9 meters tall collided with the Marilao Interchange Bridge, which was only 4.27 meters high, damaging two of its girders.
The bridge’s repair work began last Thursday, March 20. In the meantime, authorities have implemented several measures to mitigate traffic congestion along the affected section.
Motorists are still encouraged to consider alternative routes:
Heading for Manila from Bulacan and Pampanga:
- May exit at the Bocaue Interchange, travel via MacArthur Highway, and reenter NLEX through Meycauayan.
Heading for Bulacan and Pampanga from Manila:
- May exit at Karuhatan, Paso de Blas, or Meycauayan, pass through MacArthur Highway, and reenter NLEX via Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue.
NLEX Traffic Management Head Robin Ignacio shared that the shoring work, which involved installing vertical steel supports beneath sections of the interchange, was completed at 11:00 p.m. on March 21.
As a result, three lanes in the affected area are now open to help alleviate traffic congestion. Additionally, the southbound side of the expressway now features a zipper lane for motorists.
NLEX Corp. confirms that sections of the northbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) beneath the Marilao Interchange Bridge will be closed for almost five days beginning Monday, March 24, until March 28, 2025.
Toll Relief
Following the request of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon for NLEX Corp. to waive toll fees in the North Luzon Expressway after the incident at the Marilao Interchange Bridge, NLEX Corporation will implement a temporary toll relief on the northbound stretch of NLEX from Balintawak to Meycauayan starting Monday at noon.
In a statement published on Sunday, the relief will remain in effect until all four lanes of the Marilao northbound area are reopened.
“In response to the call of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), NLEX Corporation will implement temporary toll relief on the northbound portion of the expressway from Balintawak to Meycauayan starting March 24, 2025 at 12 noon. This will remain in effect until all four lanes of the Marilao northbound area are reopened.”
The statement urged the motoring public to be patient and understanding as repairs are expedited to restore normal traffic flow as quickly as possible.
Nearing Completion
The Marilao Bridge’s northbound lanes are expected to reopen fully on March 31, anticipating increased traffic during Holy Week. NLEX Corp. promised to update the public on the status of the repairs and the measures taken to enhance traffic flow.
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