The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office VI is hastening the concreting of the 21.805-kilometer gravel road along Junction D.S. Benedicto-Spur 16-Calatrava Road in Negros Occidental.
According to District Engineer Jaime SJ Javellana of DPWH Negros Occidental First District Engineering Office, the road project costing P829.701 million, was implemented by the then Negros Island Region (NIR) and was taken over by Region VI after the abolition of NIR.
“The project involves construction of 2-lane concrete road, 6.70 meters wide from Brgy. Ani-e and to Calatrava using 280 mm thick Portland Concrete Cement Pavement (PCCP), including slope protection, lined canal and thermoplastic pavement markings,” Javellana said.
During the recent project site visit of the DPWH VI Regional Inspectorate Team, Engr. Ormel G. Santos, chief of the Construction Division, said that they are closely fast tracking the progress of the project implementation to ensure that only quality materials are being utilized by the contractor.
Santos also said that the DPWH is also continuously implementing the upgrading of various road sections along D.S. Benedicto-Calatrava Road to provide a more convenient, safer and faster transportation access.
The road from D.S. Benedicto to Calatrava was then a gravel road providing access to motorists and trucks loaded with sugarcane, thus upgrading this road network would improve the accessibility and mobility in the highland barangays of the two towns, enhancing the local economic growth.
The upgrading will also open vast development and opportunity potentials that would level up the standard of living of the local folks and shorten travel time from Bacolod to Calatrava and neighboring towns in the northern part of Negros Occidental.