Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar led on Monday, January 18, 2021 the ceremonial inauguration of Urdaneta Bypass Road Project.
Secretary Villar said that the completion of the Urdaneta ByPass Road is seen to address traffic bottleneck during peak hours along Manila North Road in Urdaneta City and establish an improved national road system in the Province of Pangasinan.
The road has a total length of 7.17 kilometers and crosses two (2) major road intersections of Urdaneta-Dagupan Road and Urdaneta-Manaoag Provincial Road, added Secretary Villar.
In his project briefing, DPWH Region 1 Director Ronnel M. Tan said that the Urdaneta ByPass Road Project involves construction of six (6) lanes portland concrete cement pavement including sidewalk, drainage and slope protection, and installation of solar streetlights.
With a total project cost of P1.885 Billion, four (4) permanent bridges were also built along the bypass road that reduces travel time between Villasis town proper to Binalonan of to just 30 minutes and will benefit about 38,000 daily motorists, Director Tan added.
These bridges are the 90.90 meters Macalong Bridge, 70.90 meters Mitura Bridge 1, 36.76 meters Mitura Bridge 2, and 60.90 meters Camantiles Bridge.
The construction of bike lane as an off-carriageway improvement will be done as part of future developments of the bypass road in line with DPWH social responsibility and environmental preservation program of promoting zero carbon footprint by encouraging more cyclists.
The opening of Urdaneta Bypass Road was also attended by DPWH Senior Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut, Assistant Secretary Wilfredo S. Mallari, Pangasinan 5th District Representative Ramon V. Guico III, Pangasinan 5th District Board Member Chinky Perez-Tababa, Urdaneta City Mayor Julio F. Parayno III, and other public works and local officials.