The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has reopened the Diokno bridge along Diokno highway in Calaca, Batangas to motorists.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said the bridge will lessen travel time from Tagaytay to Lemery by 30 to 45 minutes.
Motorists no longer need to take longer routes at the Tagaytay-Nasugbu road or the Palico-Balayan-Batangas road.
Villar said the bridge’s reopening will certainly help during the Christmas season when there is an expected influx of motorists and commuters.
“Malapit na naman po ang Pasko kaya siguradong dadagsain ng ating mga kababayan ang Tagaytay at Batangas, makakaasa ang lahat na patuloy nating aayusin at papatibayin ang mga tulay at kalsada hindi lang dito kundi sa buong Pilipinas,” Villar said in a statement.
(Christmas is near so motorists will be flocking to Tagaytay and Batangas. We are going to continue improving our road infrastructure all over the Philippines.)
The bridge was closed in 2016 due to heavy rains, which caused road slips and damaged slope protection.
The reconstruction work, which started in 2017, had a budget allocation of P86.3 million./ee