Motorists, bizmen hit DPWH for slow works

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Motorists and businessmen using the stretch of the Jose Abad Santos Avenue (Jasa) here are complaining over the slow pace of construction of at least four bridges here, spawning long traffic and vehicular congestion.

Motorists and commuters are calling on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to hurry construction and abide by their promise to finish the projects this 2013.

Motorist Roel Diaz told Sun.Star Pampanga that the construction works that started during the last quarter of 2012 have become a burden to motorists and commuters who would have to brave the heavy traffic and incessant dust hovering from the construction sites.

The problem involves four bridges in Bacolor, Sta. Rita and two in Lubao towns, which have yet to be completed.

Businessmen along the area said the slow pace of the construction is not good to business activity in the area and affects a lot of commuters and cargo vehicles that traverse the route.

Earlier this year, officials of the DPWH clarified that construction of four bridges along the western Jasa toward Subic will be completed by June this year and not in 2014 as what is contained in the billboards within the project sites.

Pampanga Chamber and Commerce and Industry Inc. executives led by president Jim Jimenez said the group has received a lot of queries on the projected date of completion of the bridges.

Earlier, the DPWH promised it will immediately look into the proper traffic management program along west Jasa before starting with the Cabetican Bridge [Bacolor] rehabilitation this coming February.

However, up until this posting commuters and motorists still experience heavy traffic in the areas where the four bridges are being constructed.

Motorists fear that the DPWH will not be true to their promise to finish the bridges on time.