Light traffic seen as Lagusnilad underpass reopens
Light traffic was observed after the Lagusnilad underpass reopened on Tuesday morning, Nov. 28.
The Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) said that traffic build up was reported before the underpass opened around 8:30 a.m.
Manila Police District (MPD) Public Information Office (PIO) Chief Maj. Philipp Ines said the traffic condition became light to moderate around 11 a.m.
Ines said that traffic personnel were deployed in the area to conduct continuous monitoring.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, together with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) South Manila District Engineer Mikunug Macud, Manila Vice Mayor John Marvin Yul Servo-Nieto, Congressman Irwin Tieng, and City Engineer Armand Andres, led the Lagusnilad underpass reopening.
It was reopened after six months of renovation which started in May to improve its drainage system and the overall road structure.
“Finally, ngayong umaga ay mabubuksan na po natin itong Lagusnilad. Saktong-sakto po ito sa paparating na kapaskuhan. Alam naman po ninyo pagdating ng pasko, dinadayo po ang Maynila. Ito po ay isang major thoroughfare papunta ng Divisoria... ng Recto kaya malaking kaluwagan ito kapag nabuksan na po natin ito ngayong umaga (Finally, this morning, we are reopening the Lagusnilad. This is just in time for the upcoming holiday season. You know that when Christmas comes, people mostly visit Manila. This is a major thoroughfare going to Divisoria... of Recto, so it's a big relief to finally open it this morning),” Lacuna-Pangan said.
The mayor said that they expect no more flooding in the underpass during the rainy season.
She also said that Congressman Irwin Tieng will provide additional funds to improve its pumping system.
Tieng said that they had collected P100 million as additional funds for phase two of the Lagusnilad pumping station.
The mayor added that any kind of vehicle can travel in the underpass, as they made it stronger by putting in concrete.
Lacuna-Pangan said that the rehabilitation of Lagusnilad was undertaken by the national government, but the city government decided to help repair it after receiving a lot of complaints.
The mayor said that the city government allocated P50 million for the upgrading, concreting, and drainage repair of the underpass, while Cong. Tieng initially spent around P20 million, together with the P25 million allocated by the DPWH, to fix the "chamber” which serves as the catch basin for floodwaters.