NLEX San Simon Lanes Reopen After Flood Mitigation

MANILA – All lanes on both northbound and southbound portions of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) near the San Simon Interchange in Pampanga were opened on Tuesday, following joint mitigation measures by the government and the private sector to hasten the receding of floods caused by heavy monsoon rains in recent days. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and NLEX President and General Manager Luis Reñon inspected the thoroughfare, where Dizon announced that the areas are now clear of floodwaters. The DPWH chief said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the construction of detention basins at three locations in San Simon, Pampanga, as a long-term solution to flooding, while short-term measures continue to be implemented to prevent a recurrence of the incident that caused a major travel disruption in late August. He reported that more than 20 units of heavy equipment are set to arrive in the area on Tuesday to begin dredging operations along the Tulaoc River. “We have a large number of heavy equipment units arriving—more than 20—to conduct simultaneous dredging operations in this area. Most of them are coming from San Miguel Corporation, so I am grateful to Ramon S. Ang (RSA); he isn’t obligated to assist us with this, yet he is doing so. NLEX will also be sending their own equipment to ensure the work proceeds without interruption,” Dizon said in an interview. Asked when they expect to complete the dredging, he answered, “I can give a timeline later on this week.” He also acknowledged the partnership with other government agencies and the private sector. “Coordination with other government agencies and the private sector is very important. The water here is just circulating. Slowly but surely, we will flush it out (into Manila Bay),” Dizon added. On the other hand, Reñon reported that there is no water on the expressway, and all lanes are now open. “On a positive note, we can now breathe a sigh of relief as we are opening the third lane of the expressway. There is no longer any water on the expressway; all lanes are now passable, allowing motorists to travel quickly to the north and to Manila,” he said. /gsg