A 5.94-kilometer concrete paved access road was completed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to ease travel to the mountainous terrain of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
DPWH Regional Office 6 Director Nerie D. Bueno in her report to Secretary Manuel Bonoan, explained that the concrete road stretches from Sitio Magtanday to Sitio Omas in Barangay Camindangan, a far-flung community in Sipalay City that was unreachable due to poor accessibility brought by the muddy and dusty old gravel road.
Undertaken by DPWH Negros Occidental 3rd District Engineering Office, the road improvement project which is divided into two sections had a funding of P126.6 million through the Sustainable Infrastructure Projects Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) Program.
Both sections of the road project involve the construction of a 2.97-kilometer, 2-lane portland concrete cement pavement.
“With the paved road, residents of these remote areas now have a more convenient access to basic government services and can better bring to market centers their products such as coffee, rice, and vegetables, thereby opening more opportunities for economic development,” said Director Bueno.
The road improvement project also involves the construction of grouted riprap for slope protection and metal guard rails, hazard markers, reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings and solar LED lights as safety features.