P1.8-billion Urdaneta Bypass Road opens

Sidewalks, drainage and slope protection were included in the construction. Solar streetlights will reduce electricity costs. There are also plans to create bicycle lanes

The P1.885-billion Urdaneta Bypass Road opened on Monday and is expected to help cut travel time by half between the towns of Villasis and Binalonan in Pangasinan.

The 7.17-kilometer road will reduce traffic along the Manila North Road in Urdaneta City for the benefit of some 30,000 motorists traversing the route daily. The six-lane bypass road crosses two major intersections — Dagupan Road and the Urdaneta-Manaoag Provincial Road.

Sidewalks, drainage and slope protection were included in the construction. Solar streetlights will reduce electricity costs. There are also plans to create bicycle lanes.

Four bridges were also included, namely the 90.90-meter Macalong Bridge; 70.90-meter Mitura Bridge 1; 36.76-meter Mitura Bridge 2; and the 60.90-meter Camantiles Bridge.

E. Samar reopens roads

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Eastern Samar likewise opened to motorists a landslide-prone area in Taft town.

DPWH gave in to public clamor despite continued threats of another landslide as the region continued to experience heavy rains.

The national road along Camp 5 Boundary Junction will be accessible from 6 a.m to 6 p.m. only.

“Motorists are advised to pass through this road with caution due to possible occurrences of landslide and rockfall at Barangay Binaloan,” the DPWH advisory said.

The road was closed on 10 January due to incessant rains that caused flooding in at least seven northern municipalities.

A day after its closure, a massive landslide occurred with an estimated 5,000 cubic meters of rocks, soil and other debris blocking the highway.

The road, which connects Paranas town in Samar and Taft in Eastern Samar, is a critical route as it shortens travel time between the capital of the two provinces to less than two hours.

The six-lane bypass road crosses two major intersections — Dagupan Road and the Urdaneta-Manaoag Provincial Road.

Whenever the road is closed, motorists take the Buenavista-Lawaan-Basey Road and travel time from Catbalogan City to Borongan City takes seven hours.

“The threat is still there, that is why it is included in the advisory to take the road with caution and open to limited time only,” Jayson Espeso, information officer of DPWH-8, said. “The decision to reopen the road is partly due to public clamor of motorists who need to pass through the area.”