By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
LAOAG CITY—Motorists trying to avoid everyday traffic in the city proper can now smile with relief as the Laoag City bypass road is now officially open.
The bypass road was temporarily opened during the All-Saints’ Day and Christmas holidays to ease traffic along the city’s downtown area.
With the resumption of work and school day on January 3, 2019, traffic in downtown Laoag went on smoothly as some motorists opted to take the alternate route going to the city’s Laoag International Airport area.
From Vintar, Ilocos Norte, Karl Lenin Benigno, an employee of a Laoag university along the Airport Ave. shared his excitement over social media saying his “[T]ravel time to work is now only 15 minutes on normal speed” as compared before when he would be stuck in traffic for more or less 30 minutes at the Gilbert Bridge.
“I guess I personally have to thank the good congressman [Rep. Rodolfo “Rudy” C. Fariñas] for the wonderful project,” said Mr. Benigno.
Initiated by the former House Majority Floor Leader, the Laoag bypass road was completed on November 25, 2018.
The project located in Ilocos Norte’s first district covers a 7.99-kilometer road opening, embankment, slope protection and drainage from Brgy. Buyon in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte to Brgy. Bengcag along a rotunda in this city.
The phase IV of the project includes the construction of 804.9-meter bridge with 655-meter approaches.