DPWH opens new diversion road in Bulacan

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar inspected on Friday, March 12, 2021 another bypass road up north connecting the towns of Pulilan and Baliuag in the Province of Bulacan.

In his briefing to Secretary Villar, DPWH Region 3 Director Roseller A. Tolentino said that the four-lane Pulilan–Baliuag Diversion Road has made daily travel between the two (2) towns of Bulacan a bit easier.

Without enduring the Maharlika Highway's busy and constricted intersections, the 9.6-kilometer Pulilan-Baliuag Diversion Road cut travel time between the towns of Baliuag and Pulilan or vice versa from 1 hour to just 30 minutes, Regional Director Tolentino reported.

Secretary Villar noted with appreciation that since he led the road’s soft-opening on May 9, 2019, the recent completion of 4th and final phase further assured a safer and environment-friendly road facility for motorists, bikers and pedestrians.

This road has promoted biking for transport and recreational use with the inclusion of bike lanes for faster, safer and pleasant travel.

For the project’s Phase IV, DPWH Region 3 completed the lane widening and installation of reflectorized bike lanes and metal beam guards, and the construction of slope protection structures to ensure the safety of the travelling public and cycling enthusiasts.

Secretary Villar has observed that the widened roadway resulted to the increased road capacity, making travel more comfortable.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to biking as an alternative mode of transportation, and the DPWH promptly acted with the installation of additional safety interventions to protect cyclists and the motoring public using the diversion road.

Construction of Pulilan - Baliuag Diversion Road began in 2016 as the most cost-effective solution for the lingering traffic congestion along the Pulilan and Baliuag portions of Daang Maharlika in Bulacan.

The business climate in the areas of Pulilan, Calumpit and Baliuag and access to the North Luzon Expressway have improved since this diversion road was opened.

Cargo trucks coming from various points of North and Central Luzon have been given access to the bypass that opened the opportunities for continuing progress in this part of Bulacan.

The Pulilan-Baliuag Diversion Road project was nominated as Philippine’s official entry for the MINO Best Project Award - Community Road Category of the Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia or REAAA for the project’s social effectiveness and impact, environment friendliness and technical excellence.

According to Regional Director Tolentino, the REAAA nomination is a testament that the Pulilan – Baliuag Diversion Road, owing to provided direct economic benefit to the communities, is considered among the outstanding road projects constructed in the Asian and Australasia region.