All four lanes of the northbound portion of Marilao in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) are now open, with traffic expected to normalize in the next few days.

In an advisory, NLEX Corp. announced that all northbound lanes have been accessible to motorists since 1:00 am on Wednesday, March 26.

Originally scheduled for completion within two weeks, the private operator expedited the repairs on the damaged Marilao interchange bridge after swiftly delivering the fabricated steel needed for the infrastructure.

On March 19, an 18-wheeler truck exceeding vertical clearance struck the bridge, causing severe damage to two bridge girders.

This resulted in a week-long bumper-to-bumper traffic in the expressway, which led the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to call for a toll holiday within the stretch of Balintawak to Marilao.

NLEX Corp. obliged with this call, with tolls waived “until all four lanes of the Marilao northbound area are reopened.”

As of writing, the free toll is still in effect. The resumption of the toll collection is expected to be announced soon.

While all lanes are now passable, supporting steel poles will remain on the lanes to allow “concrete curing of the bridge.”

“With this development, traffic flow in Marilao Northbound is expected to improve and normalize in the next few days,” NLEX Corp. said.

“We thank the motoring public for their utmost understanding and patience while repairs were ongoing,” it added.

In a statement, the DOTr extended its appreciation to NLEX Corp. for its swift work in repairing the damaged bridge.

The agency said this will see the return of normal travel times, enabling motorists and commuters to reach their destinations promptly.

“This shows the commitment and dedication of both the DOTr and its partners like NLEX Corp. to respond quickly to problems such as this to try and provide a seamless and comfortable travel experience for all Filipinos,” it said.