MOTORISTS traversing the Lazatin Flyover in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga on Saturday, November 27, 2021 aired their concerns and raised complaints about the slippery portion of the elevated structure located along west Jose Abad Santos Avenue.
The motorists said that the two-lane flyover's "unsafe" state, with its asphalt overlay worn out and steel metal plates and reinforcements already exposed and rusting, have worried them when using the structure designed and constructed in 2012 with a funding of P373 million to ease traffic along the Jose Abad Santos Avenue and Lazatin Boulevard intersection.
Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) driver Alvin Agustin said, "Delikado na iyan lalo na pag umuulan. Dumudulas na ang mga sasakyan. Nasisira ang mga sasakyan at pag may nasiraan sa flyover, buhol-buhol ang trapik."
Another PUJ driver, Eduardo Flores, added that the approaches to the flyover already have wide gaps.
"Kaya pagdaan mo pababa o paakyat, bumabagsak ang mga sasakyan," he said.
For his part, City Public Safety and Coordinating Office chief Louie Clemente said minor accidents do occur in the flyover because of its condition.
"Because the metal plates of the flyover no longer have traction, accidents do happen. Maraming motorcycles ang nadudulas at mayroon ding mga sasakyan na hindi makaakyat kaya lalo na pag umulan, nagkaka-trapik talaga," he said.
What the City Government does now, Clemente furthered, it to provide personnel to help direct traffic along with the installation of safety cones in "unsafe" parts of the flyover. He added that the city government already coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways Central Luzon which has jurisdiction over the flyover.
However, as of this posting, DPWH officials are yet to comment on the motorists concerns over the flyover. (JTD)