LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government recently opened the Tebteb alternate route for the residents of Barangay Lubas and Central Balili to use in going to and from their homes following the closure of the Pines Park Bridge for rehabilitation.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda reported that personnel of the municipal engineering office already conducted an inspection on the Tebteb alternate route after the completion of the repair and upgrading works on it to ensure that the access road will be safe for motorists who will be using the said route.
Earlier, the municipal government earmarked some P3 million to improve the proposed alternate route primarily for the use of residents of Lubas, Pines Park and Central Balili in going to and from their residences without undue delays to allow the Department of Public Works and Highways–First Benguet District Engineering Office (DPWH-FBDEO) to implement the upgrading of the Pines Park bridge.
He stipulated that among the works done on the alternate route include the placement of a box culvert that elevated the level of the road surface and the widening of the entrance and gravelling of the road in Balili to ensure it is passable for motorist users.
Mayor Salda claimed the opening of the Tebteb alternate route will definitely ease the burden of affected residents who need not go a roundabout way to reach the heart of the valley and the municipal government is grateful to the administration of the State-run Benguet State University (BSU) for allowing a portion of its property to be traversed by the alternate route for the welfare of the people living in the affected areas.
He appealed to the motorists using the alternate route to cooperate with the traffic rules and regulations to be implemented by barangay officials in the use of the alternate route to avoid the unnecessary congestions that may transpire in the area.
The DPWH-FBDEO was compelled to close the Pines Park bridge after it found that its foundation was already scoured, apart from other evident defects that compromised the status of the structure, to prevent risk to the users.
Benguet caretaker congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap accessed from the public works department some P80 million for the rehabilitating and upgrading of this bridge.
The government plans to replace the wooden bridge structure with a concrete one to ensure its stability for the safety of the public who will be using the bridge.
