NLEX finishes Tulaoc River dredging

Dredging operations along the North Luzon Expressway section of the Tulaoc River are complete, and standing water has been cleared from the highway shoulder as of Tuesday, operator NLEX Corp. announced.

Crews and private sector partners are continuing dredging operations further upstream, moving from the Manila Bay outfall toward Tulaoc and the expressway corridor.

Upstream deployment was previously delayed during peak flooding when deep water blocked heavy equipment and truck access.

Sheet piles installed along the expressway alignment to prevent floodwaters from intruding into the highway system are being monitored ahead of forecasted rainfall.

The river dredging forms part of a broader flood mitigation strategy along the main northern transport artery.

NLEX Corp. has positioned a mobile pumping unit at the kilometer 56 marker, installed L-type flood barriers and modular mesh-and-liner units along critical sections, and pre-positioned response crews at key interchanges in Meycauayan, Paso de Blas, San Fernando and Balintawak.

Addressing service disruptions caused by the recent flooding, the tollway operator automatically credited toll refunds to affected motorists' RFID accounts the following day without requiring formal claims. Refunds amounted to P113 for Class 1 vehicles, P281 for Class 2 vehicles, and P338 for Class 3 vehicles.

"Our section of the river is dredged and there is no water on the shoulder," NLEX Corp. said in a statement. "The work is moving upstream from the bay, and we are watching the sheet piles perform through the next rainfall."