NLEX Corporation, the company that operates the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), has announced the full reopening of the Pasig Potrero Bridge.
The Pasig Potrero Bridge [Photo: Google]
The Pasig Potrero Bridge, which has been closed due to repairs, is now passable to all vehicles including Class 2 (buses and trucks with a height of more than 7.5 feet), and Class 3 vehicles (trucks with 3 or more axles with a height of more than 7.5 feet). This follows its reopening for Class 1 vehicles (passenger vehicles) back on August 7, 2023.
According to NLEX President J. Luigi L. Bautista, the necessary rehabilitation works to further strengthen the bridge will still continue despite its reopening. Nevertheless, Bautista says the bridge’s ability to accommodate all vehicle classes will help alleviate traffic for motorists traveling to and from Clark to Subic.
For those unaware, the said bridge which links the Porac and Montclair sections of SCTEX was completely shuttered to traffic back on July 16, 2023. This was deemed necessary by the NLEX Corporation as it needed to undergo an emergency safety inspection and assessment due to harsh weather brought about by typhoon Dodong, as well as the southwest monsoon.
While it is already fully reopened, some necessary repair works are still ongoing.
According to the company, those assessments were since carried out by a third-party entity that specializes in bridges. It was found out via these inspections that a full closure was necessary for the safety of motorists.
Other than the continued strengthening works on the bridge, NLEX, together with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) which owns SCTEX, press on to look for more ways to improve the entirety of the 94-kilometer-long highway.
So far, improvements made to other sections of SCTEX include the continuous maintenance of toll plazas, the upgrading of lights and signages, the repairs on Porac Gumain and San Matias bridges, RFID system enhancements, and the Dinalupihan road raising project, among others.
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