MANILA — Three major infrastructure projects in Northern Luzon were opened to motorists by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including alternate and faster routes to Benguet and Baguio City.
According to Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, the undertakings are the Aringay-Tubao Alternate Road and Anduyan Bridge in the province of La Union, and the Laoag City Bypass in Ilocos Norte.
He noted that the opening of the projects in La Union will provide a better and faster road network for motorists going to Benguet and Baguio City.
The alternate road is a 14.24 kilometers road section along Aringay-Tubao, La Union which will facilitate a scenic travel to Asin Hotspring in Tuba, Benguet and Baguio City.
“This alternate route will lessen travel time from Tuba, La Union to Benguet from 2 hours to 35 minutes and will cut travel time from 2 hours to just 1 hour going to Baguio City,” Villar said in a statement on Saturday.
On the other hand, the Anduyan bridge serves as an early Christmas gift by DPWH to the people of Barangay Rizal and Alog East in Tubao, La Union.
“Ang kagandahan sa tulay na ito ay hindi na kailangan mag-balsa ng ating mga kababayan. Kung dati rati ay kailangan pa nilang mag balsa upang makatawaid lang sa Aringay river, ngayon ay mayroon na silang kalsada na maaring gamitin sa araw-araw nilang gawain,” the DPWH chief added.
The Anduyan Bridge has 12 spans at 30 meter Pre-Stress Concrete Girder (PSCG) with a total length of 360 lineal meter.
The new bridge has two abutments and 11 piers, all resting on bored piles with diameter of 1,800 millimeters and 1,600 millimeters.
It also has two lanes carriageway and sidewalks on each side with reinforced concrete railings.
“Another impact of this project is that it will decongest traffic along Marcos Highway. Lalo na ngayon na sarado at prone pa rin sa landslides ang Kennon Road. Yung mga kababayan natin na balak magpasko sa Baguio ay maari ng dumaan dito,” Villar added.
Meanwhile, he also reported the opening of the Laoag City Bypass, which will benefit both locals and tourists visiting Ilocos as it will ease heavy traffic.
“We are happy to announce the opening of the last phase of the Laoag City Bypass Road. This will cut travel time from 45 minutes to just 10 minutes,” Villar said.
The project covers the construction of 7.99-kilometer road opening, embankment, slope protection and drainage is now fully-completed, with the recent completion of Phase IV covering the construction of 804.9-meter bridge with 655-meter approaches.
Laoag City is located at the west central part of Ilocos Norte, which makes it hard to transfer goods and transport people. Before the completion of the bypass road, traffic congestion has always been a daily problem.
“In time for New Year, we were able to complete the last phase of Laoag City Bypass Road that was implemented to divert traffic at Laoag City proper and reduce travel time of motorists from 45 minutes to just ten (10) minutes,” Villar said. PNA-northboundasia.com