JICA okays P4-B for bypass road

CABANATUAN CITY – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has approved a P4-billion grant-in aid for the construction of a 30.351-kilometer bypass road from this city to two other adjoining municipalities.

Mayor Jay Vergara told The STAR that the Japanese government, through JICA has given its go-signal for the road project, which is set to start within this year.

The bypass road will skirt major routes, including the Maharlika Highway covering the city, and the towns of Sta. Rosa and San Leonardo.

The present highway route is a known traffic "choke point."

The project was negotiated by the city government in coordination with the municipal governments of Sta. Rosa and San Leonardo represented by Mayors Geronimo Baldazo and Eulinio Nagaño, respectively.

Under the feasibility study for the project, the road will start from Barangay Tabo in San Leonardo and pass through barangays Soledad and Tagpos in Sta. Rosa then to barangays Sta. Arcadia, San Isidro and Cruz Roja and exit in Talavera town.

It will feature construction of a 950-meter long bridge spanning the Pampanga River and another bridge measured at 665 meters at the Talavera River. Medium and short bridges spanning 520 meters will also be constructed.

The project has sections for frontage road measured at 15.8 kilometers long.