LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government recently criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways – First Benguet Engineering District (DPWH-FBED) and the contractors of the ongoing road concreting and overpass projects for their alleged snail-paced implementation of the town’s major infrastructure projects that is causing the monstrous traffic jams in the municipality.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda said that the DPWH and contractors must find ways on how to fast track the completion of the said projects to help in reducing the inconveniences of the residents and tourists who are burdened by the daily traffic congestions in the uncompleted portions of the said projects.
“We are supportive of the implementation of development projects but something must be done to ease the inconveniences caused by the projects to the residents and visitors considering that the project sites are being done right at the heart of the town,” Mayor Salda stressed.
The local chief executive said that Benguet, especially the capital town, will be hosting this year’s Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) sports meet on February 22-28, 2025 which will be simultaneous with the grand street dancing competition and grand floral parade of the Panagbenga in nearby Baguio City, thus, there will surely be an influx of people to the municipality to witness the sports competitions and visit the various tourist destinations.
According to him, the DPWH and the contractors must make sure that all the critical works in their projects should be completed by that time to lessen the occurrence of traffic congestions along the main road leading to the municipality and provide the visitors with improved travel time in going to and from their desired destinations.
Earlier, the DPWH claimed that the aforesaid projects will be completed before the prescribed timetable in June.
Observers said that the contractors were able to work fast at the start of the implementation of their projects but now that the said works are about to be completed, it seems that the pace had reportedly slowed down to the dismay of the motorists regularly passing through the project sites.
Salda expressed hope that the DPWH-FBED will be able to compel the contractors to continue working double time to at least finish the critical works in their projects prior to the conduct of the major events that will be hosted by the municipality so that the occurrence of monstrous traffic congestions will be avoided. By Dexter A. See
