DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 Sep) – The construction of the 45.2-kilometer Davao City Bypass Road Project that will improve transport logistics and mitigate congestion here will begin in April 2019, an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 said.
In an interview, DPWH 11 public affairs and information officer Dean Ortiz cited the Infrastructure Master Plan for Davao City of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which reported that the future traffic demand on the four-lane bypass is expected to increase more sharply due to new housing projects, expansion of township developments, and infrastructure widening investments under the current Duterte administration.
He said the government is preparing to bid the project so that they can proceed with the construction of Phase 1 that will run from Barangay Mintal to Barangay Magtuod.
“The thrust of the DPWH is to create more access roads especially in preparing the city, especially now when there are many developments, so we have to be ready for that,” he added.
Phase 1 will include construction of a 2.3-kilometer two-way tunnel through the mountainous terrain in Magtuod.
Based on the detailed design of the project, consultant Nippon Koei JV proposed the construction of two tunnels instead of one main tunnel and one evacuation tunnel, but within the same budget of P25.98 billion for the entire project that will run from Lipadas, Toril District to Panabo City.
A report released by the DPWH said the bypass road will have an important role to unite west and east side communities that are experiencing more economic activities but are separated by a mountain.
The objective of the project include to hasten interregional transport of goods and services through the city; reduce transport cost of products to customers; mitigate congestion in the urban center; provide a more reliable, more efficient and unimpeded flow of goods and services and support to the growing agro-industrial sector; manage urbanization in the city and its periphery; and provide better access to and from major ports in Davao Gulf, including Sasa Port in the city and Davao International Container Port in Panabo City.
Ortiz said vehicles will no longer have to pass through the urban center if they do not have any transactions in the downtown area, addressing the traffic congestion in some parts of the city.
He added that this project will also complement the other bypass roads that are being implemented by the DPWH and the first phase of the Mindanao Railway System from Tagum City, to Davao City, and to Digos City. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
