DPWH to elevate Tulaoc Bridge in NLEx after water build-up

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday said that it would raise the Tulaoc Bridge in North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) after severe weather conditions and floods left the bridge and parts of the major highway submerged.

On Saturday, motorists were stuck in traffic at NLEx for hours after the Tulaoc Bridge in the San Simon portion was impassable due to the combined effects of Super Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri), Typhoon Falcon (international name: Khanun), and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

READ: Poe seeks probe of NLEx flooding that got motorists stuck for hours

“Ang instruction po sa amin, I think, the arrangement is ang medyo itataas po namin ay iyong existing tulay that cross over the NLEx ‘no, but itataas lang po namin iyong tulay and then NLEx will also raise their carriage wing nila, sila na ang magri-raise nila. Well, that’s the instruction that we got yesterday so we are now going to look for the funds actually to be able to gawin namin iyong pagtaas ng existing na tulay,” said DPWH Chief Manuel M. Bonoan in a press briefing in Malacañang.

(The instruction to us, I think, is to slightly raise the existing bridge that will cross over the NLEx, but we will raise the bridge, and then NLEx will also raise their carriage wing; they will raise theirs. That’s the instruction we got yesterday (Monday), so we will now look for the funds to raise the bridge.)

Bonoan said that funding for construction should come through in the following days but did not specify when. He added that they would have to raise the bridge by .7 meters while NLEx raises the pavement.

“I think in about some months’ time, pwede naming matapos iyan kasi it’s not meant to be a very technical activity na gagawin namin, because it’s just a matter of jacking it up actually,” added Bonoan.

(I think in about some months’ time, it can be finished because it is not meant to be a very technical activity to be done. It’s just a matter of jacking it up, actually.)

During a previous situation briefing on Monday with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the widespread flooding in Central Luzon, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation president and former Public Works and Highways chief Rogelio Singson said that they remain committed to fixing the San Simon segment of NLEx.

During the briefing, Marcos gave his go-signal for raising the bridge and the San Simon portion of NLEx.

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