By Zorayda S. Tecson
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, July 9 (PNA) — Majority of the ongoing vital road infrastructure projects in Central Luzon that will provide motorists speedy, convenient and comfortable travel will be completed by the end of this year.
According to the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC), the ongoing infrastructure works in the region is more than 80 percent complete and will finish by the last quarter of 2015.
”The entire project will be completed by the end of this year,” Severino Santos, RDC-RPMC chair and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director, said.
Santos said the RPMC is closely monitoring the ongoing infrastructure projects that include the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo (GSO) Bataan Road Project Phase II and the road widening of the Bataan highway that will lessen travel time from Manila to Bataan, Olongapo and Zambales.
He also said that the four-lane national highway from San Fernando City, Pampanga all the way to the province of Bataa will be finished soon as the portion of the Hermosa and Dinalupihan towns, in Bataan are now being rushed all the way to Olongapo City and Mariveles town in Bataan.
The four-lane highway from Balanga City all the way to Mariveles town in Bataan has already been completed, together with the widening of the once narrow zigzag road in Barangay Alas-asin, also in Mariveles.
”We are conducting regular inspections to ensure the smooth implementation of the project as well as identify the different issues and concerns in order to address them in time for its target completion this year,” Santos said.
He said the infrastructure project’s Line 1, which involves the widening of the existing 11.30-kilometer Sta. Cruz, Lubao -Hermosa road from two lanes to four lanes, and construction of eight new bridges where four are located in Pampanga while the remainder are in Bataan is 83 percent complete.
He said the project Line 2, which consists of asphalt concrete overlay and improvement of shoulders on the existing two-lane, 3.02 km road from Layac Junction to Dinalupihan town proper in Bataan is 98 percent complete.
Santos said the pedestrian overpass in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga is already finished while the six lanes of the 1.72-kilometer stretch from the North Luzon Expressway Rotunda to Dolores flyover are still ongoing.
“The completion of GSO road project Phase II will provide safer, convenient, and faster travel for motorists bound to tourist and business destinations in Bataan and Zambales,” he said.
He also said that the RPMC has already identified and addressed issues that delay the project such as the obstructions on the road right of way, communication and electric poles and cables, and the change in design of pavement from asphalt concrete to cement concrete pavement. (PNA)