P46-B Davao bypass road construction to start Q1

DAVAO CITY — Construction of the P46-billion Davao City bypass road project, which will be partly financed by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is scheduled to start within the first quarter next year, according to a city off icial.

“The city government was requested to stop giving development permits in areas where the bypass road will be constructed,” City Planning and Development Off ice (CPDO) Chief Ivan C. Cortez said in an interview.

Mr. Cortez said the road design and implementation plan has been finalized and approving new real estate development along the route would mean additional right-of-way costs or an adjustment of the project scope.

The bypass project is divided into two packages: Package I covering 28.8 kilometers ( km), to be financed by JICA; and Package II consisting of 44.6 km to be bankrolled by the government.

“The bypass road will connect Toril (in the south of Davao City) through Barangay Magtuod to Panabo (City, Davao del Norte),” Mr. Cortez said. “The first phase will stop at Magtuod, which will host the two tunnels.” he added.

He also said that the initial plan was to build just a single tunnel, but the study for the project showed the possibility of traffic congestion by 2023.

The first phase is targeted for completion in three years.

“The original bypass road was supposed to be the diversion road ( CP Garcia Highway) now, but since development caught up with it, then we need to construct a new bypass road,” Mr. Cortez said.

The CPDO chief, who used to head the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, said 2018 will be very busy for the city construction-wise as several infrastructure projects will be ongoing.

The P34.5-billion Davao City Coastal Road project spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will start construction this year, with the agency just waiting for the notice to proceed from the city government. The coastal road, which will run from Matina Aplaya to Sta. Ana Pier, is expected to be completed by 2022.

DPWH- Davao Region information officer Dean I. Ortiz said it is necessary to complete the final road alignment before construction can start. The first segment of the construction work will start along the Matina Aplaya and Times Beach area. DPWH has allocated an initial P1.98 billion for this segment.

The P35.911-billion first phase of the Mindanao Railway System — covering Tagum City in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Digos City, Davao del Sur — is also scheduled to start next year. —