CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., led by its chairman emeritus Levy Laus, has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to replace the Dolores flyover here.
Laus raised the concern to DWPH Undersecretary Rafael Yabut and Central Luzon Director Antonio Molano Jr. during a meeting with local executives, as he described it as "fragile and an eyesore."
The steel flyover, which was opened to traffic in 2007, was constructed by Mabey and Johnson Ltd., to ease traffic congestion at the crossing of the Jose Abad Santos Avenue and the MacArthur Highway.
But Laus said the thoroughfare has not been serving its purpose in the past years due to its vulnerability, which limits the types of vehicles it can carry.
"Heavy vehicles such as trucks cannot passed by the flyover which also causes traffic jam at the intersection and its structure itself is also an eyesore. This should be addressed by the public works before it cause danger to public," he said.
He said a permanent solution to ease traffic gridlock on the said junction must be put up since the existing flyover, which was only intended as temporary answer to growing traffic then, is already worn out.
Yabut, in response, said they will conduct studies on the possible solutions on the said concern.
"We will conduct a study on how we can replace it. Anyway, recyclable naman yun. We can reuse it on other places where it is needed temporarily," he said.
He shared his preference to construct a concrete bridge as replacement and permanent solution since tunnel-like underpass is not ideal due to flooding problem in the area.
