BY: VANESSA BUGTONG
During the past holiday season, motorists and Baguio City residents struggled with heavy traffic, especially on the roads leading up to the city.
To address this, the Baguio City District Engineering Office of DPWH proposed a bypass road connecting Barangay Loakan in Baguio City to Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.
According to PB Edouardo Emmanuel Cayetano of the Barangay Loakan Proper, “There was a farm-to-market road project that began near Kennon Road’s view deck, but it didn’t extend upward. It was suggested that an alternate route be created to connect to Kennon Road.”
Engr. Cesario L. Rillera, Chief of the Planning and Design Section at the BCDEO, stated, “The main purpose of this project is to reduce travel time. Our primary concern is network development, which includes road widening, paving of unpaved roads, terrace way improvement, rehabilitation, and drainage construction.”
The nearly 4-kilometer bypass road will serve as an alternate route for both residents and motorists.
Construction started in 2017, but the project has faced several challenges over the years, including issues with affected residents and logistical difficulties in implementing plans.
Engr. Alfredo O. Bannagao Jr., Chief of the Construction Section at the BCDEO, mentioned, “Some houses and gardens were affected, so residents filed complaints. We had to haul out the remnants to other locations.”
Aside from the road itself, slope protection measures are being implemented to prevent landslides in the area.
“The reason for the delay in this section was a request from a previous barangay captain to postpone certain parts. We allocated funding for the last section to ensure the road will open,” Bannagao added.
With 1 kilometer of the bypass road remaining, DPWH aims to finish 0.160 kilometers in 2025 at a cost of 56.9 million pesos, with the remaining 0.523 kilometers budgeted at 95 million pesos for 2026.
Once completed, the entire 4.375-kilometer road will cost a total of 630.2 million pesos.
