The quick work of NLEX Corp.

Last week, frequent travelers to the north of Metro Manila were treated to a nightmare of traffic when an 18-wheeler truck had collided with an overhead bridge along the Marilao interchange in NLEX, causing serious damage to both the truck and overhead bridge.

- IÑIGO S. ROCES

It happened in the early hours of the morning, resulting in an agonizing crawl for those caught in the following morning rush hour and for most of the following days.

The culprit was a truck carrying what appeared to be a silo or gas container. This large load proved to be taller than the clearance the bridge provided. The ensuing collision resulted in the poor driver flying out the front window while the cargo severely damaged two steel support beams under the bridge.

Needless to say, proper assessments needed to be conducted. Many travelers collectively heaved a sigh of discontent when the toll operator announced that repairs could possibly take two weeks.

I was one of those dreading the trip up north as that weekend was the first leg of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines GT Cup held at Clark International Speedway. Thankfully, NLEX Corp. had worked quickly to clear up a few lanes under the bridge for traffic to flow through. The incident resulted in a traffic slowdown of just an additional 15 minutes to my estimated travel time. Of course, I was traveling during off-peak hours.