Baguio traffic to worsen this Holy Week

RUSH hour traffic on Session Road Photo by RICHARD BALONGLONG/FILE PHOTO

BAGUIO CITY – The Holy Week vacation in the summer capital may test the patience of tourists.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) proceeded with 44 road rehabilitation projects in the central business district, as well as on main streets leading to favorite tourist destinations.

Even President Aquino, when he visits the city for the Holy Week break, may have to navigate road rehabilitation work that will take place inside the presidential Mansion, according to a roadwork list provided by district engineer Alex Castañeda of the Baguio engineering office.

Castañeda said these projects were programmed for January and were supposed to be completed in March. But the contractors delayed work to accommodate tourist-drawing activities in February, such as the 20th staging of the Baguio Flower Festival, the Cordillera Administrative Regional Athletic Association meet and the Philippine Military Academy alumni homecoming.

“We cannot delay it anymore for the Holy Week because we only have two months to go [after March] before the rains come [in June],” Castañeda said.

The DPWH allotted P668 million this year for road rehabilitation, repair or improvement of road drains and construction of pedestrian overpasses. The projects were undertaken as public schools ended classes.

Taxi drivers have complained about the simultaneous roadworks, saying some projects, which began in January, have yet to be completed. San Luis village, for example, has been dealing with hourlong traffic jams, they said.

They also said some good roads had been torn up to give way to the road projects.

Castañeda said the roadworks would be completed within 120 to 150 days, or by August.

He said he was aware of the traffic problems the road repairs would trigger, so his office had already coordinated with the police to impose rerouting schemes.

Tourists driving through downtown Session Road should be wary of repair work on Bonifacio Road, which passes through Engineers Hill, Fr. F. Carlu Street below the Baguio Cathedral, General Luna Road, which passes through the university belt, and Governor Pack Road, which serves as the common bus terminal.

Tourists driving to Mines View Park, the presidential Mansion or the Botanical Garden will encounter repair work or roadwork along Leonard Wood Road. Those driving to PMA will encounter repairs on Loakan Road.

Motorists will encounter road repairs along segments of Kennon Road, Marcos Highway and Quirino Highway (Naguilian Road). They may encounter traffic jams on a flyover near Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center because a portion of Marcos Highway is also being upgraded.

Those intending to visit Sitio Pungayan (renamed La Presa after a television soap opera) may have to navigate through repairs at Sto. Tomas-Mt. Cabuyao Road.

Residents in Quirino Hill, Aurora Hill, Quezon Hill and San Luis will have to bear with road repairs leading to their villages.