
NLEX Corporation is strengthening two bridges in Pampanga - the NLEX San Matias bridge in Sto. Tomas and SCTEX Pasig-Potrero bridge in Porac, to ensure the safety of motorists.
Both are essential for travel and delivery of commodities, according to NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista.
Hence, "We are doing the necessary repairs to keep our assets in good condition and provide motorists with a safe and smooth expressway experience,” he explained.
The 80-meter San Matias bridge is located between San Fernando and San Simon interchanges.
At its southbound portion, the tollway operator is replacing two link slabs that connect bridge deck spans.
The upgrading works will also enhance the bridge support and deck surface.
Targeted for completion within one month, the works at the San Matias bridge require occasional lane closures.
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.
Furthermore, NLEX Corp. is also strengthening the 720-meter Pasig-Potrero bridge, which serves as a vital link between Subic and Clark.
The sand surrounding the piers have diminished due to quarrying operations, which has then affected the bridge’s structure.
To improve the bridge’s serviceability, the toll operator is installing sheet piles and gabions.
Sheet piles are steel sheets connected together while gabions - stone-filled wire baskets, both of which form a retaining wall to support the piers.
Work at the Pasig-Potrero bridge is expected to be completed within the second quarter of the year.
Apart from these bridges, the tollway company is also continuously rehabilitating the five-kilometer Candaba Viaduct.
At present, the girders and slabs are being upgraded to further ensure safety.
Last year, the company rehabilitated the Meycauayan and Bigaa bridges in Bulacan while doing safety repairs on the Porac and Gumain bridges in Pampanga.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).