Travel time between the municipality of Bauang to the surfing town of San Juan in La Union will be reduced to 30 minutes once the 22-kilometer bypass road linking multiple towns in the province is completed.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced on Tuesday that the construction of two contract packages of the multi-year project are now at 64 percent and 92.65 percent accomplishment rate.
“We are constructing the Bauang - San Fernando - San Juan Bypass Road that will cut the one-hour travel from Bauang via Manila North Road to just 30 minutes,” Villar said.
The multi-year funded project started in 2018 involves the construction of a four-lane 22.19-kilometer bypass road including six bridges with a total length of 1,281 lineal meters.
The entire Bauang-San Fernando City-San Juan Bypass Road is constructed under a P4.36-billion project cost.
According to Region 1 Director Ronnel Tan the bypass road project covers various villages in San Fernando City and San Juan.
It starts in Barangay Payocpoc Norte and traverses barangays of Calumbaya, Buy-otan, Central East, Acao, Lower and Upper San Agustin in Bauang towards Barangays Sibuan-Utong, Birunget, Langcuas, Camansi, Namtutan, Dallangayan Este, Saoay, and Abut in San Fernando City and then to Barangays Dinanum, Lubing, Casilagan, Ili Sur, Ili Norte, Cacapian, Talogtog, Sinapangan and finally ends at Barangay Taboc in San Juan, La Union.
“Upon full completion, this road network is expected to facilitate convenient land travel and will eventually give boost to the province of La Union as the heart of agri-tourism in Northern Luzon,” Villar said.
Three contract packages under the project were already completed with a total allocation of P570 million.
Other than road opening and concrete paving, the project also involves installation of cross and lateral drainage, slope protection works, shoulders with bicycle lanes, provision of pavement markings and signages.