BAGUIO CITY -- After banning trucks carrying loads from passing through Marcos Highway in Cordillera, buses were also diverted to Naguilian Road on Tuesday evening.
This came as the section of Marcos Highway in Barangay Cares, Pugo, La Union was also seen to have been damaged by the continuous heavy monsoon rains.
“As of 7 p.m., closed na ang sinking area sa Palali sa buses and heavy vehicles. Light vehicles na lang ang pinapayagan dumaan (As of 7 p.m., the sinking area in Palali had been closed to buses and heavy vehicles, and only light vehicles are allowed to pass), but it is still one-way passable ,” Mark Anthony Flores of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 1 (DPWH-1) told mediamen in a text message on Wednesday.
“Mas lalong lumubog ang kalsada sa lugar ng damage (The road has sunk even more at the site of the damage)," he added.
Last week, DPWH-1 information officer Esperanza Tinaza said her office had banned tankers and dump trucks from passing the area, and advised them to take Naguilian Road instead.
Tinaza said Marcos Highway’s Agoo-Baguio section in Barangay Cares in Pugo, La Union was seen to have damaged pavement around 2 p.m. on Monday. The truck ban took effect Tuesday morning.
He said the diversion of the vehicles was to prevent further damage to the road.
The DPWH has installed warning signs and barricades on the affected road section, with a maintenance crew on a 24/7 traffic duty to guide travellers. There are also policemen tasked to man the traffic, as it is a one-way road.
As a remedial measure, Tinaza said, the DPWH will break the concrete road and fill it with aggregates to make it passable to truckers again. The concreting will be done as soon as the weather improves, she said.
Marcos Highway is the primary road leading to Baguio and Benguet. Loads of highland vegetables and other crops are transported via this road, going down to Metro Manila and other parts of the country. (PNA)
