NLEX-San Simon Interchange Traffic Snarls Due to Flooding

Traffic remained heavy along parts of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on Tuesday morning amid the flooding in San Simon, Pampanga. According to a report of GMA News' James Agustin on Unang Balita, NLEX management began diverting northbound vehicles at the Santa Rita Exit at 10:40 p.m. on Monday. This was to prevent them from proceeding toward San Simon due to flooding caused by the overflowing Pampanga River. Motorists were advised to take the Maharlika Highway and proceed toward the Central Luzon Link Expressway. In a 9 a.m. advisory, NLEX Corporation said that Class 1 vehicles traveling northbound are being diverted to Balagtas exit and advised to proceed to Maharlika Road toward the Central Luzon Link Expressway due to the rising water level of the Pampanga River. It added that the Balagtas northbound entry is temporarily closed for class 1 vehicles while Class 2 and 3 vehicles may continue. NLEX Corporation added that Sta. Rita and Pulilan northbound entries are temporarily closed to all types of vehicles. The diversion caused long lines of vehicles, including delivery and cargo trucks bound for provinces in northern Luzon. Some truck drivers said they had been stuck in traffic for hours, while other motorists opted to park their vehicles and wait for the traffic situation to improve. Bus passengers traveling to destinations such as Cagayan are also expected to face longer travel times. The Santa Rita northbound entry and the Pulilan northbound entry were also temporarily closed. Meanwhile, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) said it would implement flood control measures to help ease the heavy traffic caused by the flooding. The tollway operator said it would install 300-meter flood control barriers on both sides of the NLEX. Trucks and pumping equipment would be deployed to remove accumulated floodwater in San Simon, it added. MPTC also said a counterflow lane would be opened for emergency and response equipment. The firm apologized to affected motorists and asked for their patience and understanding as efforts continue to address the flooding and restore normal traffic flow.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA News