By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff Reporter
Laoag City—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Ilocos Norte Engineering District I announced that they plan to construct another bypass road to connect this city to neighboring San Nicolas town.
DPWH-INED district I engineer Maria Venus Torio said former Ilocos Norte Governor, now Senator, Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos requested the project to DPWH Sec. Mark A. Villar.
According to Ms. Torio, the Rudy C. Farinas Bypass Road has not completely solved the traffic congestion at the city’s Nangalisan area—the primary road that leads to San Nicolas.
She explained that based on their initial feasibility study of the proposed project, they learned that a third bridge should be located on the east of the existing Gilbert Bridge.
“Sa ngayon tinitingnan pa nila kung ano iyong mga alternative locations. Ganun talaga pag ginagawan po yan ng survey iyong short distance from the river bank to river bank dahil mas economical kung ano iyong shortest distance kaya lang kung iyong shortest distancee kailangan naman ng longer road para ire-route at matatamaan ang mga residential areas, hind rin practical kaya magkakaroon din ng alternative routes,” Ms. Torio expounded.
She said she also learned that the bridge alone would costs around PHP1 billion as she added she hopes this project will start next year so they can finish it by 2022.
Relative to this, Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc also announced the proposed project by the DPWH in his visit to San Nicolas during his consultative meetings with barangay officials, non-government organizations, zanjeras and other stakeholders recently.
Mr. Manotoc said the provincial government is doing its best to help in the continuing progress and development of San Nicolas by easing the traffic problem along the Gilbert Bridge to Nangalisan Road going to San Nicolas.
The Ilocos Times learned that what was once a “peak-hour” traffic along the area is now a whole-day phenomenon.
The on-going road widening project of the DPWH-INED II along Brgy. 1, San Nicolas has also exacerbated the traffic situation.
The planned third Laoag bridge will also need an alternative route heading towards San Nicolas’ main commercial area.
DPWH-INED II district engineer Mathias L. Malenab confirmed, in an earlier interview, that an additional bridge connecting Laoag and San Nicolas was proposed with an alternative road going to the said San Nicolas area.
With these new developments, Mr. Malenab strongly believes that this will resolve the traffic problems along the national road, particularly at Brgy. 1 in San Nicolas and Nangalisan in Laoag City.
The Ilocos Times also learned that another bypass road, this time along the western part of the Manila North Road (MNR), or Batac Road, connecting the Rudy C. Farinas Bypass Road here is also on the planning stage.
This alternate route, the DPWH believes, will help ease traffic congestion for travelers heading to northern Ilocos Norte.