AFTER SO many years of being buried amid the cacophony of bombast at the city council of San Fernando, it is good to hear anew about the plans for service roads running parallel to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

As we remember right, it was the Honorable Alex Patio that made a strong advocacy for the roads, crafted an enabling ordinance complete with plans, and even reached out to the local councils of the other towns the roads would traverse.

As we read it right, Patio’s P600-million proposal gained the approval of practically everyone, not the least of whom were the owners of subdivisions and housing development projects, as well as sugarcane planters where the parallel roads shall pass.

Yes, we remember Architect Nestor Mangio of Lakeshore, was an ardent supporter of the plan, indeed, a proponent at its initial hatching when now-Senator Lito Lapid was in his first term as Pampanga governor. 

It is really good to read of the Honorable Mayor Oscar S. Rodriguez and public works officials recently inspecting areas around the Jose Abad Santos Avenue close to the egress and ingress of NLEx where the parallel roads would connect.

And City Engineer Nelson Lingat saying: “Actually, the San Fernando side of the projected parallel roads has been acquired by Transco a few years ago.

So, these proposed service roads on our map at 15 meters plus 15 meters in the San Fernando side will not create problems at all. They are government property and we can start the project soon.”

So that San Fernando portion – from San Jose to JASA – alone will cost P40 million.

“That is so little considering the benefits.” So was Mayor Rodriguez quoted as saying, finding no need to mention the obvious – the economic stimulus the parallel roads will spark among the city’s interior barangays, the facility of travel, the decongestion of MacArthur Highway.

And yes, the definitive end to the massacre of trees along the Manila North Road which would not require any expansion then.  

You’re right on track here, Mayor.