TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—Department of Public Works and Highways Director Melanio C. Briosos of the Cagayan Valley region has reported the completion of the P631-million Lucban Bridge in Abulug town.
Briosos said the bridge in Barangay Lucban is a multi-year project with a length of 825 lineal meters, consisting of 12 spans with 436.90 lineal meters’ total length of approaches.
He said the bridge makes it more convenient to transport agricultural and commercial products to major trade centers in the area and the nearby provinces of Ilocos and Cordillera regions.
“The bridge is envisioned to ensure continuous movement of goods and safer travel for the public. This is so because a stronger and more stable bridge will promote socio-economic development and spur rapid growth in terms of economic and tourism activities in the area,” Briosos said.
Per Briosos, the rehabilitation and replacement of the old Lucban Bridge is expected to play a major role in the agricultural, industrial and tourism growth and exchanges in Cagayan Valley, Ilocos and Cordillera.
“It will greatly improve accessibility and mobility in the vicinity by providing an enhanced transport facility in the Manila North Road, which is the gateway to the Ilocos region,” Briosos added.
Construction chief Engineer Jose Tobias said the bridge is exactly located along Manila North Road, and it is one of the first major bridge projects to open this year.
He said the project “leads to the opening of various business opportunities, with attractive incentives and advantages for interested investors.”
“These developments are geared toward attracting legitimate and productive local and foreign investments, thus creating employment opportunities not only in the province, but the whole country as well,” Tobias said.
The old bridge was constructed in the mid-1960s and the deteriorating condition of the steel trusses due to severe rusts and the cracks on concrete deck slab necessitates its immediate replacement to sustain transport activities in the area.