SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga: Businessman Rene Romero urged the local officials of the city government of San Fernando and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to improve the traffic management system in the Dolores Central Business District (CBD) to decongest traffic.Romero said that a 'traffic separator and road barrier' must be put up by the local government unit of San Fernando and the DPWH to ease traffic in the Dolores area which is now being hounded with heavy traffic because of the ongoing rehabilitation of the flyover at the Lazatin Boulevard along the JASA Road.He said the improvement of the traffic management system in the Dolores CBD will support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s infrastructure modernization under the Build Better More program.This is as the DPWH beefs up traffic decongestion projects all over Central Luzon in a bid to improve traffic flow.Pampanga's capital city of San Fernando is one of the growth centers of Central Luzon where most regional government agencies are also located.It was learned that the DPWH is tasked to implement road projects for the improvement of inter-city or municipality and provincial connectivity and regional linkages as part of the Build Better More infrastructure modernization program.Romero has also asked the local government unit to improve the lighting of major intersections in St. Jude, and Barangay San Agustin, Quebiawan, Del Rosario, Sindalan and Telabastagan to prevent vehicular accidents.Meanwhile, DPWH Assistant Regional Director Denise Maria Ayag said these projects aim for the country to have a more coordinated and efficient transport system.Ayag said the traffic decongestion projects 'will serve as ways to strengthen our country's economy because these will create an efficient movement of the people and our products, including the agricultural ones.'He added that the construction of bypass or diversion roads and flyovers in the region will enhance and facilitate the flow of traffic which is good for business.'These will help in providing alternative routes for our motorists which will decongest the primary roads like the Daang Maharlika and Jose Abad Santos Avenue. Travel time will also be lessened if these bypass roads that are under construction right now will be opened, particularly in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga,' said Ayag.Projects under the agency's Traffic Decongestion Program include the rehabilitation of Daang Maharlika, Manila North Road and Jose Abad Santos Avenue.Also included is the construction of the Ala-Uli Flyover in Bataan, Sto. Cristo and Cutcut Flyovers in Angeles City, Capas-Botolan Road in Tarlac and Zambales, Lubao-Guagua-Minalin-Sto. Tomas Bypass Road in Pampanga, San Ildefonso-San Rafael-San Miguel Bypass Road in Bulacan, Palihan-Mabiga-Morong-SBMA Access Road in Bataan, and Subic Bypass/Diversion Roads in Zambales.The DPWH infrastructure program also includes the construction of bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructures for the safety of bikers and residents.
