CABANATUAN CITY – Commuters, especially students, playing Metro Manila to northern provinces must brace for heavy traffic congestion along a stretch of Maharlika Highway within this city for the forthcoming opening of classes.
This as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would commence anytime soon the rehabilitation works along the national road that starts for the boundary of this city and the municipality of Sta. Rosa in Barangay Sumacab in the south.
It will also include Barangay Mayapyap where the Valdefuente Bridge in the north is located, said a ranking engineering official of the DPWH.
The project, which involves re-blocking, minor re-blocking, overlaying and drainage construction, amounts to about P200-million, according to Engr. Ulysses Llado, chief of Nueva Ecija 2nd Engineering District (NEED2).
Llado said the agency’s regional office which is tasked to implement the foreign assisted project has already coordinated with the district office here for the formulation of steps that would cushion its impact to traffic situation.
He said that the winning contractor is just waiting the notice to proceed. “It may start maybe this month or maybe next month,” he said.
Residents expressed apprehension over the impact of the construction, some branding it “wrong timing”, being planned to begin on a rainy season and the opening of classes.
“We all know that traffic easily builds up in Cabanatuan because of the large volume of vehicles here,” a motorist said.
This city, tagged as the business and education center of Nueva Ecija, houses private and state colleges and universities that cater to students from various places in the province and northern provinces as well as the eastern Aurora.
But Llado said they would also coordinate with the local government for a traffic plan.
“Aayusin natin pagdating dun sa traffic, hindi naman natin papayagan na pagka-uumpisahan yang project na yan ay hindi natin aayusin yung traffic.,” he said.
He also said the construction would be completed in seven to eight months.
He appealed for understanding. “Sakrispisyo. Talagang ganyan, wala tayong magagawa konting sakrispisyo lang uli para sa ating motorista at lahat ng maabala.”
The project is on top of the P260-million already implemented rehabilitation projects within Nueva Ecija’s fourth and third congressional districts since last year, Llado said.
