DPWH assures maintenance of major highways in central Leyte

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 11 (PNA) –- The Department of Public Works and Highways Second Leyte Engineering District of the (DPWH) assures cleaner and wider highways as part of its maintenance thrust for 2017.

District Engineer Carlos Veloso said providing safe and convenient highways will help sustain economic gains in the district.

The second Leyte engineering has undertaken widening of primary roads in the past year particularly along the Maharlika Highway and the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road, which are busy highways connecting Luzon to places in Mindanao in the south and to Cebu through Leyte’s western part.

Veloso said the office will be providing safe and convenient travel for the public by removing obstructions along these primary roads and have road shoulders cleared as well.

An obstruction refers to any structure either temporary or permanent within the road right of way and poses danger to residents and motorists.

“Now that we have widened our roads, our goal is to have them highly maintained all the year through,” Veloso said.

Road signs will be put up as well to guide the travelling public.

Meanwhile, not only roads are up for widening this year, but also vital bridges in Leyte’s second legislative district.

Upgrading of bridges will be two-lane to a four-lane road. The recent four-lane road opened to the public is the Hiagsam Bridge in Jaro, Leyte which was battered to its knees during Typhoon Seniang in 2014.

The bridge is claimed to be typhoon resilient which will become a basic quality of the other bridges eyed for widening in 2017.

This bridge widening project set this 2017 will target the Calbasag Bridge, Bocog Bridge, Balocawe Bridge, Bawon Bridge and Balire Bridge along the primary highway.

Ponong Bridge, Sagkahan Bridge, Tagak Bridge and Cocot Bridge along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road is likewise part of the bridge widening project. (PNA)

LAP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR