LAOAG CITY, Dec. 9 – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to complete the multi-million peso Laoag City by-pass road project by January 2014.
The four-lane road situated in the western part of the city from the Airport Avenue to Brgy. Sta. Maria, which is nearly 40 percent completed, will be an alternate route for motorists coming from the province’s southern section and going to the northern towns without passing through the Laoag City proper, which frequently encounters serious vehicular traffic problem especially during rush hours.
According to Project Engineer Angelito Dian, the project’s first phase – composed mainly of embankment ( selected borrow river mix), aggregate sub-base course, slope protection works, reinforced concrete box culverts and pipe culverts – was completed on May 6, 2013.
“The second phase is expected to be completed on January 27, 2014, with the completion of embankment (selected borrow mix) aggregates sub base course, slope protection, reinforced concrete box culverts and pipe culverts,” Dian added.
Once completed it is expected to lessen travel time as well as provide comfort and convenience to regular commuters and motorists especially tourists who are visiting the province of Ilocos Norte.
The project, which began in 2012, is jointly supervised by the DPWH Region 1 and First Ilocos Norte District Engineering Offices.
Dian said the DPWH central office will construct a bridge to connect the bypass road project across the Laoag Padsan river parallel to the downstream of the existing Gilbert Bridge which presently connects the Manila road at Brgy. Nangalisan in the south and the Laoag city proper in the north. (MCA/CJDG PIA-1, Ilocos Norte)
