BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways – Baguio City District Engineering Office (DPWH-BCDEO) clarified that it was able to accomplish the government’s road recovery program along various national roads in the city following the implementation of programmed road widening projects that had been funded even prior to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
DPWH-BCDEO officials claimed that the implementation of their road widening projects included the component of recovering the road-right-of-way that was encroached by structures that were built by property owners that is why there had been significant gains in the agency’s efforts to take back the real width of national roads although the same depends on the prevailing situation in the said areas.
Further, the agency’s achievements in taking back encroached portions of national roads is with the support of the local government but without the implementation of already programmed road widening projects, the same could not have been realized.
DPWH-BCDEO insiders stipulated that one of the major goals of the implementation of road widening projects along national roads is to help in providing adequate spaces where motorists could pass through to prevent the roads from being constricted that cause monstrous traffic jams, especially in identified choke points around the city.
According to them, the implementation of road widening projects along national roads iss a continuing endeavor of the agency as the same had been provided with funding on a multi-year funding support because of the enormous funds that is required when such projects will be implemented at the same time.
Moreover, the agency is also dealing with titled properties that have encroached the road-right-of-way of national roads pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations to ensure that the interest of the greater majority of the populace will be considered.
The DPWH-BCDEO officials emphasized that the agency’s road widening efforts will continue aside from pursuing the recovery of encroached road-right-of-way so that the city will have widened roads that will contribute in ongoing efforts to address the worsening traffic congestions, especially in the central business district area, and provide adequate spaces for the putting in place of sidewalks for the convenience of people wanting to walk around the city.
On the other hand, the local government is concentrating its road-right-of-way recovery efforts on city and barangay roads with utmost priority given to alternate routes so that motorists will be able to easily access their desired destinations using such roads that lead to their points of destinations without being unduly delayed because of the traffic caused by the huge volume of vehicles plying the city roads daily.
The agency expressed hope that it will be provided with adequate funds in future budgets of the national government so that it will be able to sustain the implementation of road widening projects and recovery of encroached road-right-of-way for the benefit of the welfare of the greater majority of the populace and for better mobility around the city in the coming months.
