BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-CAR) said that the ongoing construction of the multi-million rockshed along the identified critical portion of the scenic and historic Kennon Road, formerly known as the Benguet road, particularly along Camp 6, Tuba, Benguet, will be completed by September this year for the safe travel of motorists going in and out of the city.
DPWH-CAR regional director Khadaffy Tanggol said that the contractor is currently completing the columns of the structure along the river in preparation for the installation of the pre-fabricated shed to serve as the catchment area for debris that will come from the mountain slope to ensure the safe travel of motorists along the identified critical portion of the roadline.
However, he claimed that Kennon Road will be totally closed for at least two months to pave the way for the contractor to be able to install the shed of the structure to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that may pose a threat to the safety of motorists during the critical stage of the project.
Earlier, the DPWH earmarked some PhP264 million for the construction of a 152-meter rockshed along Kennon Road as part of the ongoing initiatives that will eventually ensure that the major roadline will be one of the all-weather roads leading to the Summer Capital as Kennon Road remains to be the shortest route from the lowlands to the city and vice versa.
The DPWH-CAR official disclosed that the construction of the rockshed is around 64.37 percent complete based on the accomplishment of the contractor that is why the agency is hopeful that there will be no untoward incidents that may transpire that my delay the project’s completion so that the structure will be ready by September in time for the expected influx of visitors to Baguio City for them to enjoy the cool weather during the year end.
Since the July 16, 1990 killer earthquake the rocked most parts of Northern Luzon, including Baguio City, Kennon road has always been on a close-open situation because of the occurrence of landslides in various critical portions of the roadline that remain to be a major problem because of the unstable situation of the mountain slopes that had been disturbed by the occurrence of natural calamities.
Director Tanggol said that the agency is studying the possibility of implementing additional sloe protection projects in other critical portions of the road aside from the earlier completed rock netting projects to stabilize the said road sections and contribute to the ongoing efforts to ensure safety of both residents and motorists plying the said route to be able to reach their desired destinations.
He explained that it has been observed that there were no erosions that have been reported in the areas that had been covered with rock nets while the landslides and rockslides that have been reported transpired in sections that had not been covered by rock netting projects that is why the DPWH-CAR is working on the programming of additional sloe protection projects to address the erosions triggered by natural calamities, especially heavy rains that are expected during the onslaught of the La Nina phenomenon.
Kennon Road is a popular roadline because of its scenic zigzag portion leading to the Lion’s Head that had been constructed right at the middle of the long and winding portion of the major highway where tourists take time to have their photos taken prior to reaching the city proper. By Dexter A. See
