SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ – The first and only pedestrian overpass along the Maharlika Highway from Nueva Ecija to the Cagayan Valley region was inaugurated here Monday.
The overpass was put up by the provincial government of Nueva Ecija in a place almost fronting the main gate of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) here.
“The student body of CLSU requested for it,” Gov. Aurelio Umali said. “It is for their protection specifically against road accidents,” he added.
He said that the officers of the student government of the university appealed to him to put up the pedestrian overpass to help prevent the occurrence of another incidence of road accident in the area.
He said that he was informed that several students and other persons had been hit by passing vehicles while crossing the highway. Some of these accidents resulted to deaths, he was told.
It was noted here that despite its being a school zone, motorists tend to over speed on the highway that cut across the 658-hectare campus of CLSU. Passenger jeepneys waiting for student-passengers especially in the afternoon were also noted parked along the highway.
Police record indicated that several accidents in a stretch of the highway here happened in the past. The victims, some of them hit fatally, included students and other persons crossing the highway to enter or exit the university campus.
Umali said that in addition to the overpass, solar street lights were set up along the highway fronting the CLSU compound.
The Nueva Ecija governor said the conduct of the structure’s proper use, including its use for informational materials, would be managed by the CLSU student body in coordination with the officials of the university.
He added that the city government here is expected to pass a jay-walking ordinance as a deterrent for pedestrians who would insist on crossing the highway to avoid going up the overpass.
Observers noted that the overpass put up here is the only one of its kind along the Maharlika Highway from Nueva Ecija to the Cagayan Valley region.
Engr. Vicente Santos, OIC provincial engineer of Nueva Ecija, said the overpass cost P8 million while the solar street light package cost P120,000 each. The funds came from the province’s annual investment program.
The overpass was put up by the provincial government of Nueva Ecija in a place almost fronting the main gate of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) here.
“The student body of CLSU requested for it,” Gov. Aurelio Umali said. “It is for their protection specifically against road accidents,” he added.
He said that the officers of the student government of the university appealed to him to put up the pedestrian overpass to help prevent the occurrence of another incidence of road accident in the area.
He said that he was informed that several students and other persons had been hit by passing vehicles while crossing the highway. Some of these accidents resulted to deaths, he was told.
It was noted here that despite its being a school zone, motorists tend to over speed on the highway that cut across the 658-hectare campus of CLSU. Passenger jeepneys waiting for student-passengers especially in the afternoon were also noted parked along the highway.
Police record indicated that several accidents in a stretch of the highway here happened in the past. The victims, some of them hit fatally, included students and other persons crossing the highway to enter or exit the university campus.
Umali said that in addition to the overpass, solar street lights were set up along the highway fronting the CLSU compound.
The Nueva Ecija governor said the conduct of the structure’s proper use, including its use for informational materials, would be managed by the CLSU student body in coordination with the officials of the university.
He added that the city government here is expected to pass a jay-walking ordinance as a deterrent for pedestrians who would insist on crossing the highway to avoid going up the overpass.
Observers noted that the overpass put up here is the only one of its kind along the Maharlika Highway from Nueva Ecija to the Cagayan Valley region.
Engr. Vicente Santos, OIC provincial engineer of Nueva Ecija, said the overpass cost P8 million while the solar street light package cost P120,000 each. The funds came from the province’s annual investment program.
