ILOILO City – The construction of a four-lane flyover in Barangay Aganan, Pavia, Iloilo will start in the first or second week of March.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 alerted the public about the temporary traffic congestion at the junction of the Felix Gorriceta Avenue and Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue.
The Aganan flyover has a budget of P560 million, said Assistant Regional Director Jose Al Fruto.
The contractor is International Builders Corp. which is also the one currently constructing the P480-million 453.70-meter flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia.
The two flyovers aim to ease traffic congestion in the two barangays which are major gateways to Iloilo City and the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
Including the protection approaches and right of way, the Agana flyover will be 436.90 meters long.
Work will last for 24 months, said Fruto.
The local government of Pavia will be enforcing a traffic rerouting, according to the assistant regional director.
Private vehicles from the Iloilo Airport and central towns of Iloilo that would like to go to Jaro, Iloilo City and vice versa are advised to pass via the Iloilo-Santa Barbara Road (Rizal Street – Taft Street – Barangay Agutayan – Barangay Cabugao Norte – Tigum, Pavia – Pagsanga-an, Pavia – Tacas, Jaro, Iloilo City).
On the other hand, private vehicles from the Iloilo Airport and central towns of Iloilo that would like to go to Mandurriao or Molo districts in Iloilo City and or vice versa are advised to pass via the Oton – San Jose, Santa Barbara Road (Bangga Dama, Santa Barbara – Bangga San Jose, San Miguel – left turn to Iloilo City ALEOSAN Road towards Hibao-an, Mandurriao, Iloilo City).
DPWH has two more flyover projects this year – in Barangay Jibao-an, Pavia going to Mandurriao, Iloilo City; and at the intersection of the national highway and President Corazon Aquino Avenue in Barangay Buhang, Jaro.
Ilonggo senator Franklin Drilon lobbied for these flyovers.
“We have to move quickly to solve traffic congestion which irks drivers, commuters and tourists. We must prevent being compared to Metro Manila and Cebu City in terms of the gravity of traffic. It will not be good for the image of the city that we have worked hard on for several years,” said Drilon.
The 10-lane, 15-kilometer Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue serves as the main thoroughfare from Iloilo City to the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
Drilon initiated the construction of the Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue and the President Corazon Aquino Avenue during the administration of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III. They now serve as main gateways to Iloilo City, easing traffic congestion.
The highways have become commercial strips dotted by new hotels and business establishments.
However, the rapid rise of Iloilo and the influx of tourists, Drilon acknowledged, is causing traffic congestions particularly during rush hours (from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.).
“While traffic is a sign of development, we cannot let it continue as it will affect our reputation as one of the few livable cities in the country, as well as our bid to make Iloilo a MICE destination,” Drilon said
The Ilonggo senator was referring to his campaign, together with the Department of Tourism, to position Iloilo as premier destination for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibits or MICE.
Fruto said work on the Jibao-an and Buhang flyovers will start in the later part of 2020.
These two have an initial fund of P180 million each.
He said the four flyovers are all expected to be operational by next year./PN
