Monday, June 8, 2009 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
By Rimaliza Opiña
THE simultaneous construction of roads in Kennon and Loakan is causing inconvenience not only among Baguio folk but to residents of Sablan and Tuba as well.
Getting stuck in traffic for hours due to the closure of both roads has prompted mayors Reinaldo Bautista Jr. of Baguio and Florencio Bentrez of Tuba to ask the Baguio District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to open Loakan Road for the meantime, until repair works at Kennon Road is done.
Residents of Bakakeng and Balsigan barangays are also complaining of the heavy volume of vehicles in their narrow barangay roads, Bautista said in an interview.
Bautista said when the DPWH informed him about the project, he objected to it, knowing the closure of both roads would lead to traffic jams. Loakan Road happens to be an alternate route when Kennon Road is closed.
The Baguio mayor said he was assured the roads will be completed in two weeks. He and other motorists, however, could no longer keep their cool because the two-week construction time had to be extended because of the curing period.
With the scheduled opening of private schools next week, officials asked the contractor to speed up construction.
“It is unfair that we are the ones who are enduring the problems they caused,” the mayor said.
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