The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is rushing the completion of the 7.2 kilometers Urdaneta Western Bypass Road Project being constructed parallel to the Manila North Road to ease the traffic congestion in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.
DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said that the road project costing P1.6 billion will provide free alternative route to the existing Manila North Road, Urdaneta-Dagupan Road, Urdaneta-Manaoag Road, and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La-Union Expressway (TPLEX) for motorists going to and from Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, and Metro Manila.
Urdaneta City's strategic location in North Luzon serves as one of the major trade and business center not only in the Province of Pangasinan but also the whole of North Luzon and is a favorite stop-over of tourists going to Baguio City, Our Lady of Manaoag Church, and Hundred Islands of Alaminos, added Villar
“The new road network project which traverses eight (8) barangays namely Nancayasan, Sto. Domingo, Sta. Lucia, Nancamaliran East, Mabanogbog, San Vicente, Camantiles, and Anonas will have three (3) new bridges and additional 4-kilometer of concrete road with drainage structures. The project is set for completion this year 2017,” Villar said.
With the initial acquisition of road right-of-way under Phase 1, the DPWH has completed the concreting of a 364-lineal meter road with 5.2-kilometer embankment to be constructed under Phase 2.
"We are now halfway on phase 3 which covers the construction of 90.9-lineal meter Macalong Bridge, 70.90-lineal meter Mitura Bridge 1, and 36.3-lineal meter Mitura Bridge 2,” Vilar noted.
The fourth phase of the project which covers the paving of a 4.8-kilometer road with drainage structures composed of eight (8) units of triple barrel and single barrel reinforced concrete box culvert (RCBC) is now 25 percent completed, added Tan.
For the ultimate completion the project, DPWH intends to start in 2018 and 2019 the proposed Phases 5 and 6 covering the construction dome-type drainage along the Urdaneta Bypass Road, 60-lineal meter new bridge, 1-kilometer transition road, and additional 2 lanes with correction of bases.