DPWH to widen Region 8’s 400-km primary road

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 22 -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is confident of converting all sections of the 397-kilometers primary highway in Eastern Visayas into four-lane road by 2022.

DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon said nearly half of the region’s main road has been widened since they started the initiative late 2016 as a priority project of the Duterte administration.

“Since we’re done with concreting of all national highways, the next step is to widen the road in response to traffic gridlock brought by the increased number of vehicles,” Tabacon told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday.

The road that stretches from Allen, Northern Samar to Liloan, Southern Leyte is part of the Pan–Philippine Highway, which is a 3,517 kilometers network of roads, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao, serving as the country's principal transport backbone.

The government needs about PHP12 billion to add another 6.7 meters to the existing two-lane road that links  Samar and Leyte to the northern and southern parts of the country.

The activity also covers widening of 162 bridges complementing the expansion of primary highway.

“With nearly half of the road have been widened as of this month, we are optimistic to complete this activity on or before 2022. The target is to expand 66 kilometers of the road every year,” the DPWH regional chief added.

While there are efforts to widen the existing highway, the DPWH will also build bypass roads as alternative routes in congested areas such as in Tacloban City, Catbalogan City, Calbayog City, and Gandara in Samar.

All bypass roads are either four lanes or six lanes to avoid right of way acquisition issues during road expansion activities.

The official admitted that one of the major causes of projects delays is the right of way acquisition issues as most property owners refuse to sell the land needed for building and road widening, constructing bridges and flood control structures.

The massive road expansion is part of the “Build, Build, Build” program of the government prioritizing high impact projects envisioned to increase the productive capacity of the economy, create jobs, increase incomes, and strengthen the investment climate leading to sustained inclusive growth. (SQM/PNA)