DPWH to complete 1st segment of Davao coastal road this year

DAVAO CITY -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is on track to complete the first of the five segments of the city’s PHP19.8-billion Davao Coastal Road project this year.

Dean Ortiz, spokesperson of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-11, said the first segment started in 2017 and covers 1.682 kilometers, costing PHP1.96 billion.

As of August 2018, the segment is 89.73 percent complete; 87.04 percent for segment 2; 91.2 percent for segment 3; and, 93.35 percent for packages 4 and 5. The coastal road project is one of the three initiatives under the agency's Davao High Standard Highway Network.

The project complements the Davao City By-Pass Road and Davao City Expressway. Segment A starts from the junction of Bago Aplaya (in the south) to Matina Aplaya; segment B Matina Aplaya in Times Beach to Roxas Avenue, segment C from Roxas Avenue to Sta. Ana Avenue and segment D towards R. Castillo (in the north).

Project implementation is set to be completed by 2021.

Ortiz said DPWH is also constructing two bailey bridges downstream the Talomo River to connect the completed segment of the coastal road. This will be used as an alternate route when they will commence the repair of the Talomo Bridge 2 while the Talomo Bridge 1 and 2 will be expanded to a 6 lane-bridge in 2019. Part of the project is the esplanade along Gulf View.

"We develop this coastal road project to divert traffic because right now we only have one major road system -- the Davao-Cotabato road with two arterial routes going to McArthur Highway and the Diversion, which is not enough in a growing city like Davao," he said.

He said the coastal road will provide more access so that people who do not have business transactions in the city center could use the coastal road going through their destination. (Digna D. Banzon/PNA)