Navigating Atimonan’s zigzag road, known as “Eme” or “bitukang manok” (chicken intestines), is not for the faint of heart.
LUCENA CITY – The winding zigzag road in Quezon province remains open to motorists but drivers should traverse with caution due to a collapsed portion of the road, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Monday.
“We did not close the zigzag road contrary to some report. One of its lanes at the damaged section is still open but we advise motorist to drive with caution,” Celestial Flancia, head of the DPWH-Quezon fourth engineering district, told the Inquirer.
A section of the challenging zigzag road in Pagbilao side collapsed last week due to heavy rains.
Flancia did not cite the time-table for the completion of the road repair but a DPWH crew is rushing to finish the rip-rapping of the damaged portion.
The zigzag road traverses the 983-hectare Quezon National Park located inside the territorial jurisdictions of Atimonan, Pagbilao, and Padre Burgos. The treacherous steep road punctuated by sudden sharp curves compels ascending vehicles to literally crawl their way up.
Volunteer flagmen, armed with a plastic whistle and piece of green cloth tied to a stick, regularly conduct traffic assistance for zigzag travellers.
Authorities discourage trucks and buses from using the road, and instead direct them to take the Maharlika Highway diversion road linking Manila and Bicol. /kga