LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A Y-shape overpass will be constructed by the public works department at the junction of Pico and Km. 5 to help in improving the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in one of the busiest roads in the municipality.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda said that concerned public works officials informed the municipal government that the funds for the construction of the long overdue overpass in the area had already been made available in next year’s proposed budget which was just recently approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives that guarantees the realization of the project.
“The realization of the overpass project at the junction of Pico and Km. 5 will definitely contribute in easing the traffic congestion in the area so that motorists can conveniently travel to their desired destinations in the municipality. The put up of the overpass has been long overdue that is why we are looking forward to its construction,” Mayor Salda stressed.
Aside from the construction of the Y-shape overpass in the area, the municipal chief executive disclosed that the public works department also provided the funds for the concreting of the 2-kilometer stretch of the Halsema highway from Km. 3 to Km. 5 with standard sidewalks on both sides of the road to allow pedestrians to freely walk without fear of being sideswiped by speeding motor vehicles.
He claimed that there is no longer a right-of-way problem in the area where the overpass will be constructed.
However, Mayor Salda admitted that the proposed overpass at the junction of Km. 6 and Buyagan was not funded because of some right-of-way issues where some property owners refuse to allow portions of their properties to be affected by the proposed overpass project in the said area.
The proposal to put up overpasses along the junction of Km. 5 and Pico and Km. 6 and Buyagan was made during the early 2000 in anticipation of the expected increase in the volume of motor vehicles and pedestrians in the municipality to supposedly help in addressing the projected traffic congestion in the next several decades.
According to him, the public works department should take advantage of the good weather at the start of next year to construct the proposed overpass and implement the concreting project to ensure these will be completed before the rainy season.
He appealed to residents and tourists alike to bear with the temporary inconveniences that may be caused to them once the implementation of these projects will commence as the realization of the overpass and the concreting of the main road will definitely translate to convenient travel inside the municipality once said projects will be completed the soonest.
The mayor challenged the public works department to award the implementation of these projects to competent contractors so that there will be no unnecessary delays in their prosecution to guarantee the completion of the projects right in time for the rainy season or as programmed by the implementing agency.
