DPWH: 4 major projects still ongoing

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) appealed yesterday for the public’s understanding as motorists continue to complain of the traffic jams caused by road repair projects in various parts of Metro Manila.

DPWH-National Capital Region (NCR) regional director Reynaldo Tagudando admitted that the ongoing road repair projects contributed to the heavy traffic this yuletide season.

“We are appealing to the public’s understanding on the heavy traffic caused by our projects. But you can be assured that once we have completed these road projects, it is you, the motorists, who would benefit from them,” Tagudando said.

He said there are at least four major ongoing projects in Metro Manila. The first is the redoing of repairs on the Buendia flyover along the Osmeña Highway, which is being done by Tokwing Construction at its own expense.

While the original target date for the completion of the flyover is Dec. 15, Tagudando said the continued rains are preventing them from working as fast as they would like.

“We would just finish the repairs on the southbound lanes of the Buendia Flyover and we would just work on the northbound lanes in January. Hopefully, this would one way to lessen the traffic gridlock in the area,” he said.

The DPWH-NCR is also widening a section of the Daang Hari, specifically a 300-meter stretch that leads to Cavite. “We plan to increase the number of road lanes from two-lanes to four-lanes” to speed up the movement of vehicles, Tagudando said, adding that he hopes the project will be finished by February next year.

He said they are also dismantling a pedestrian overpass along Roxas Boulevard in Baclaran. “We are just waiting for the funds to be released by the Road Board for the rehabilitation of the footbridge. It has to be repaired because it is no longer safe,” he said.

The agency is coordinating with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to identify an alternative walkway.

Another project, according to Tagudando, is the P430-million Araneta Avenue-Quezon Avenue interchange project in Quezon City. He clarified that this is being handled by another DPWH unit, the Urban Road Project Office.

The underpass will be 440 meters long and its approaches 330 meters long in both directions, while the overpass crossing the depressed section along Araneta Avenue will be 75 meters long.

The DPWH hopes that construction of the underpass would complement other planned infrastructure development in the area, including a Light Rail Transit (LRT) line along Quezon Avenue and a potential C3 expressway that would connect and complete the C-3 all the way to Makati City.

In an attempt to ease the traffic woes around the intersection of Quezon and Araneta Avenues, the DPWH has been closely coordinating with the MMDA and Quezon City’s Department of Public Order and Safety Office to ensure continued deployment of traffic enforcers in three shifts at different strategic locations.