SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will replace six old bridges in La Union this year with a total budget of P154 million.
Engineer Emil Ganaden, head of the DPWH’s 1st Engineering District in La Union, said that the construction and widening of the Pagdalagan Bridge, from two lanes into four lanes, in the boundary of Bauang town and San Fernando City has an allocation of P47 million while the Nagyubuyuban Bridge along the San Fernando-Bagulin Road has a budget of P20 million.
Ganaden said the replacement of the old bridge in Taboc, San Juan, La Union has a total fund of P30 million while the upgrading of the bridges in Cabaroan, Bacnotan, La Union and Masupe in Balaoan town, both located along the national highway, has a budget of P13.5 million each.
The sixth bridge to be replaced is located along the Sudipen-Alilem Road in Barangay Ilocano, Sudipen, La Union with a budget of P28-million.
“We hope to finish all these projects as early as possible to avoid obstruction to travelers, particularly in the first district of La Union,” Ganaden said.
Aside from the construction of bridges, Ganaden said they will also implement a P125 million fund for the widening and upgrading of the Manila-North Road (MNR) from San Juan, La Union to Bangar.
Another P85 million was also allocated for the widening of the national highway from the boundary of Bauang and San Fernando to San Juan.
The damaged pavement along the MNR in Bangar has a budget of P18-million while the ongoing widening of the national road in Dalumpinas this city was allocated with P11-million.
“These road repair and widening projects are expected to be completed until 2017,” Ganaden said.
Ganaden said they already issued notices for those establishments who encroached along the affected area of road widening to voluntary demolish their structures in compliance with the Philippine Highway Act.
