MACABEBE -- Commuters regularly passing by the Caduang Tete Bridge in this town are complaining over the delayed completion of its rehabilitation which was initially set to be finished last October.
Commuters as well as motorists coming from this town and Masantol town are now enduring the additional travel time of at least 30 minutes to traverse the narrow roads of the Pampanga Delta Dike.
The usual travel time from Masantol and Macabebe towns is 30 minutes to 45 minutes if the Masantol-Macabebe-Apalit Highway is used.
Aside from the narrow roads, commuters are also lamenting about the unattended parked cars along the Pampanga Delta Dike, and the slow deterioration of the roads brought about by heavy trucks which further slows down traffic.
“Before we can go out of Masantol, we have to allot at least an hour for travel time. That is if we get lucky. Most of the time, there are trucks passing by which have to navigate the narrow road and parked cars and tricycles on both sides,” a regular motorist who asked for anonymity told SunStar Pampanga.
Commuters who prefer to cross the Caduang Tete via the temporary bridge open only for pedestrians also have to endure the expensive fares of tricycles, especially during night time.
Since the bridge was closed for construction, passenger tricycles have monopolized the travel from Caduang Tete in Macabebe, and Masantol town after passenger jeepneys and vans cut their trips to the approach of Caduang Tete Bridge only.
“If you are in a rush, you have to pay for it. It’s either you rent a tricycle for yourself for at least P150, or wait for other passengers for at least P20 on a sharing basis. You will also pay an additional P15 for jeepney fare from Caduang Tete to Apalit,” the motorist explained.
The commuters and motorists are now calling on the Department of Public Works and Highways to expedite the construction of the Caduang Tete Bridge as it is a major thoroughfare to access Macabebe and Masantol towns.