Motorists, specifically those engage in business, are now enjoying a more convenient and safer travel with the early completion of the rehabilitation works in various national road sections in Malolos City, Bulacan, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Sunday, May 7.
The road projects, according to DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO), Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, boosted the economic industry in the city and neighboring areas.
In an interview, Hernandez pointed to the “Asset Preservation Program-Preventive Maintenance-Primary Roads-Manila North Road- Malolos Section’’ as one of the major contributory factors that injected the economic upgrade in Malolos City and even in Pampanga and Metro Manila.
Further, Hernandez explained that the traders had delivered their goods and products to Pampanga, Metro Manila and other areas at lower transport and vehicle maintenance costs with the rehabilitated road sections.
Finished at a cost of P96,499,156.60, Hernandez stated that the project involves the asphalt overlay “with 2.211 lane kilometer (km) lane in km average 3.50 meters width per lane, reconstruction of concrete pavement/reblocking of critical sections with 380 millimeters (mm) slab in 2.211 lane km and reconstruction of drainage canal.’’
Hernandez noted that travel time for motorists plying the area has been dramatically decreased, citing that “ the preventive maintenance of damaged roads will prevent or minimize heavy traffic thereby providing convenience for motorists, and minimize possible road accidents.’’
Aside from the road rehabilitation works, the DPWH First District Engineering Office (DEO) under District Engineer Henry Alcantara had also built three pumping stations in Bocaue town in Bulacan.
With Bocaue town being one of the most flood-prone towns in the province, Hernandez stated that the P49.5 million Pumping Station No. 1 Bunlo-Lolomboy, P49.5 million Pumping Station No. 2 Bunlo-Bocaue and P92.58 million Pumping Station No. 3 will help the surrounding areas pump away a large volume of water that will prevent the flooding occurrences “especially in the areas of (Barangay) Lolomboy and some portions of Marilao town.’’
Meanwhile, the construction of the Bulacan high impact projects are being expedited by the DPWH in a bid to further enhance cost-efficient economic activities in the province and neighboring areas.
Alcantara identified three of these major projects as the P2,004,728.13 Bypass, Malolos Circumferential Road, P200,000,000 Bonga Menor Flyover at Plaridel Bypass Road in Bustos and the P485,000,000 Guiguinto Bypass Road.
The DPWH said that work on the Guiguinto Bypass Road involves the construction of a new road which includes two bridges and other cost efficient road improvements.
Alcantara said that the construction on the project started in 2019 and will run beyond 2025.
Environmental and social concerns, specifically road-right-of-way (RROW) acquisition are major issues faced by the DPWH in the construction of the project.
Hernandez noted that the project aims to address the severe traffic congestion on two primary national roads namely Daang Maharlika and Plaridel Bypass Road and the persistent bottleneck at the Sta. Rita and Tabang Exit.
Although Daang Maharlika is a national road, Hernandez explained that its width is narrow which slows down traffic flow especially during rush hours.
With the completion of the bypass road which connects Daang Maharlika to the Plaridel Bypass Road, motorists coming from Plaridel and farther North bound to Manila will be relieved of the traffic jam at the Sta. Rita and Tabang Exits.
The rerouting of vehicles is expected to decrease traffic congestion by at least 30 percent and speed up travel time by as much as 50 percent.
The DPWH Bulacan First Engineering District Office covers the first, second and fifth congressional districts of the province.