MANILA — The NLEX Corp. is ramping up the enforcement of the anti-overloading
policy to further ensure the safety of motorists plying the NLEX-SCTEX as it now
implements the 33-ton weight limit on the Candaba Viaduct Southbound while
the urgent repairs are ongoing.
Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda supported the move and gathered truckers and
relevant agencies to agree on the said weight limit.
“We are delighted that truckers in Pampanga, through the efforts of Governor
Pineda, have signified their willingness to comply with the weight limits on our
expressways,” said NLEX Corp. president and GM J. Luigi L. Bautista, noting that
“the anti-overloading program aims to uphold safety by restricting overloaded
vehicles from entering the expressways or by asking them to go to the nearest
exit point as the extra load may affect vehicle control, thus, cause accidents and
endanger other motorists.”
For the first half of the year, more than 8,000 were given traffic tickets at the
expressways for violating the anti-overloading provision stated in RA 8794 or “An
Act Imposing a Motor Vehicle User’s Charge on Owners of all Types of Motor
Vehicle and for Other Purposes.”
The said law specifies the vehicle load limits and cites that a penalty shall be
imposed on trucks and trailers for loading beyond their prescribed gross vehicle
weight and axle load exceeding 13.5 tons.
NLEX teams are positioned at strategic entry points to weigh vehicles and
determine their compliance or violation of the said law. They also prohibit the
entry of vehicles carrying loose construction aggregates not leveled and/or
improperly covered as stated in the Toll Regulatory Board Revised Safety Rules
and Regulations. The intensified operations will help reduce the risk of accidents
attributed to overloading and boost road safety since overloaded vehicles damage
road surfaces with their excess weight.
In addition, the tollway company is currently implementing stringent measures in
line with the ongoing urgent safety repair of the Candaba Viaduct Southbound.
Loaded trucks, trailers, and other heavy equipment weighing 33 tons and above
(12-wheelers and up) are barred from passing through the bridge to further
preserve the structure and allow the repair of the observed damage to its deck
and girders.
AMH Philippines, NLEX Corp.’s engineering consultant, previously mentioned that
subjecting the Candaba Viaduct to heavy loads more than what the bridge was
designed for is causing continuous cyclical fatigue stress, which in turn affect the
condition of the bridge.
For more than 40 years, the Candaba Viaduct has been a significant part of the
motorists’ everyday life, serving as a vital transport link between Metro Manila
and the provinces in Central and North Luzon. The five-kilometer bridge plays an
important role in ensuring the safe transport of people and delivery of essential
goods and services, supporting economic development in the north.
Besides the stricter enforcement of the regulations, NLEX also conducted
roadshows and dialogues with various transport groups and local government
units regarding the heightened drive against overloaded vehicles and educate
them on proper loading and other safety rules.
