The Barotac Viejo By-pass Road, once completed, will give motorists a faster and more convenient travel to the northern portion of Iloilo and to the province of Capiz.
Started in 2021, the multi-year project is targeted to be done and fully operational by 2025, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-6).
The construction of the 2.2-kilometer by-pass road, which has a total funding requirement of P770 million, is implemented by the DPWH-Iloilo 3rd Engineering District.
“An initial amount of P48.5 million funded under FY 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) was released to the District to jumpstart the construction. This year, an additional P100 million funded under FY 2022 GAA was approved to continue the implementation,” said DPWH-6 Regional Director Nerie D. Bueno.
“Given favorable weather conditions and available budget, we are hopeful that this by-pass road will be fully utilized by our motorists and the riding public,” she added.
The by-pass road is expected to “serve as a diversion road to decongest heavy traffic along the town proper of Barotac Viejo” and an “alternate connector between the barangays of Natividad and San Roque, reducing travel time by about 10 minutes.”
“More significantly, this new road will ensure faster delivery of both agricultural and marine products to the market, providing more income among our farmers and fisherfolks. This will likewise provide shorter travel to various towns and tourist destinations in the northern tip of Iloilo province,” Bueno said.
The project involves construction of Portland Concrete Cement Pavement (PCCP) road, cross drainage, grouted riprap and stone masonry.
“We also include provision of guard rails and reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings to ensure safety of our motorists especially at night and during the rainy season,” said District Engineer Ricardo R. Gutierrez.IMT
