Quezon City underpass to open Sept. 28

MANILA, Philippines - A P430-million four-lane underpass at the intersection of Quezon and Araneta avenues in Quezon City will be open to vehicular traffic on Sept. 28, Malacañang said yesterday.

Speaking over state-run dzRB radio, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, quoting the National Capital Region office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said motorists would be able to use the underpass by Friday this week.

“The target date, as far as I know, is the end of September,” she said. “We are just trying to clarify the exact date first, on when will be the definite date of the opening. We were told by DPWH-NCR that it will be Sept. 28.”

The DPWH started construction of the underpass in July 2011.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the government was able to save around P100 million in public funds in building the underpass.

Instead of a flyover costing up to around P1 billion, the DPWH constructed an underpass costing way below the previous project plan, he added.

Singson said based on their studies, the government will be saving an estimated P116 million on the Quezon Avenue Interchange project that would also ease traffic in the area.

“Study shows that if we do a flyover, it will cost the government a little over one billion pesos, we decided to do the underpass and the original budget was over P500 million, but when we bidded it out we ended up a little over 400 million and we were able to save about P116 million in that single project,” he said.