DPWH looks for alternative road in Carcar City

CEBU, Philippines —  In order to proceed with its road-widening efforts while preserving the century-old acacia trees along the national highway in Carcar City, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is looking to building an alternative route.

In a meeting at the Capitol, DPWH first engineering district head Engr. James Reyes informed Governor Gwendolyn Garcia about the plan to build an alternate route in Brgy. Perrelos, Carcar City.

According to Sugbo News, Capitol s official media arm, Reyes said that the proposed road alignment or alternative route will traverse the route of the nearby old railway in Brgy. Perrelos so they can widen the national road and preserve the century-old trees.

Further, if this will be realized after going through the proper procedure laid down by the law, DPWH will also look at expropriating private properties that might be affected by the proposed alternative route.

In the report, the alternative route will measure at least half a kilometer in length (500 meters) with a width of 10 meters.

The department said that this is enough to augment the road capacity of the existing two-lane highway of the city.

Governor Garcia, for her part, accepted the idea as she stressed that heritage structures and century-old trees, such as those in Carcar City, should be protected amidst infrastructure developments in the province.

Capitol said that DPWH s proposed alternative route in Barangay Perrelos promotes the importance of finding innovative solutions that benefit both progress and heritage or environmental conservation.

Present during the meeting at the Capitol were Carcar City Mayor Patrick Barcenas and Capitol consultant on museum and heritage, Dr. Jose Eleazar Bersales.

The Freeman tried to contact Mayor Barcenas for comment on DPWH's plan, but there was no response as of press time.

In 2019, environmental groups successfully saved the century-old trees in Barangay Perrelos through an online petition.

DPWH-7, in the same year, released a statement that the century-old trees in the barangay will be preserved.

Instead of cutting them down, a new road will be opened alongside those trees or a parallel road. (CEBU NEWS)