THE Traffic Management Bureau of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) recorded 168 vehicular accidents in the first three weeks of April.
Although the number remains average for the month, the accidents were also attributed to the several road development projects within the city.
The number remains low however, as compared the first three months of the year according to the BCPO data provided by PO3 Agustina Pasngadan. There were 203 road accidents recorded in January, 197 in February and 213 in March.
As an augmentation to the several ongoing road works, the TMB is providing personnel to serve as flag men to minimize vehicular accidents aside from those managing the traffic along main thoroughfares.
Although contractors have their own flagmen, Police Inspector Dunstan Daoay said signage are not visible in the site which sometimes cause accidents.
The Baguio City District Engineering Office (BCDEO) is implementing 81 projects for the year, 59 have been awarded before the election ban took effect on March 25.
District Engineer Alexander Castaneda said of the total projects for 2016, there will be 39 projects for roads and bridges worth P319 million, four flood control and drainage works worth P200 million and 30 local infrastructure projects.
Of the 81 projects, eight will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the region with an aggregate funding of P256.6 million.
These are slope protection and drainage works including the construction of rain water collection facilities for primary roads in Baguio, particularly along Kennon Road, Harrison Road, Abanao Road, Quirino Highway, Magsaysay Road, and Kayang.
Castaneda said rehabilitation of existing national highways is needed to increase the thickness of concrete roads from nine inches to 12. Roads are expected to have a life span of at least 20 years. (With reports from Cherene Joy Custodio/Colegio de Dagupan Intern)