More wide roads in thriving Albay
(Photo courtesy of Google)
Legazpi City - Road widening projects are well under way in Albay as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) braces for the influx of visitors and investors, hence the increase of vehicles in the province.
Some of these projects are the Network Development Off-Carriageway Improvement Daang Maharlika in the 2nd district of Albay that starts from the boundary between Camalig and Guinobatan that will end at Barangay Tabon-tabon with 11 sections; road widening going to Tabaco; and several road widening projects in some parts of Daraga.
Remaining road widening projects under the administration of former president Benigno S. Aquino III are expected to be completed.
According to engineer Egan G. Nuñez head of the Network Development Off-Carriageway Improvement Daang Maharlika project, the DPWH proposed the said project to the government since they saw the need of widening more roads considering the increase in volume of vehicles plying along Daang Maharlika.
DPWH however, experiences some challenges amidst their full operations. One of which is the need to secure a permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow them to cut down trees along the highway.
“Meron kaming request, kaso ang pagrequest ng permit to cut ay hindi basta basta, it takes time. Andami nilang requirements na dapat muna naming i-comply kaya natatagalan,” Nuñez said.
The number of trees to be cut down will depend on the request of the DPWH and the logs will be turned over to the Environmental Management Bureau.
“Ang pumuputol niyan yung contractor with the supervision of DENR, may mga tagging yan kung ilan ang nirequest namin, yan din ang dapat putulin,” he added.
The DPWH also needs to observe intermitted sections which are portions along the road that is an exception to construction and the road right of way.
The road right of way has a width of 20 meters, 10 meters from the center line of the road going to the left and then 10 meters from the center going to the right.
Other obstructions along the road are, posts from telephone companies such as the Bayantel and Digitel, water utilities and posts from the electrical facilities of Albay Power and Energy Corporation (APEC).
The lack of budget to pay private properties is also one of the hindrance face by the DPWH.
Meanwhile, more malls, hospitals, housing and condominium units are expected to rise or to be renovated in the coming years like the the Zone Medical and Intervention (ZMI) Hospital Inc. in Ligao City, Bicol Healthcare City (BRTTH), Ace Medical Center-Legazpi, Legazpi City Hospital, Albay Doctors' Hospital (Legazpi Expansion), Daraga Hospital, Crushing Plant Sto. Domingo Albay, Gregorian Mall in Albay, SM City in Legazpi, the New Light house at Legazpi Boulevard, and a Condo Hotel in Legazpi City (owned by the Ayala Group), and the Bicol International Airport.
