Funded for Php87.66 million from the General Appropriations Act for FY 2024, construction of the third phase of Calbayog Airport By-Pass Road is now on-going as implemented by DPWH-Samar First District Engineering Office.

This phase of the road project includes an additional 1.16 lane kilometers of gravel road and 2.45 lane kilometers of concrete road. It also covers stone masonry works for 580 meters, installation of 44 pieces of pipe culverts and 9 poles of single-arm solar LED lights.

District Engineer, Raulito Yangzon of DPWH-Samar First District Office tells that he sees the project as a vital contribution to the city’s continued growth and economic development particularly on traffic decongestion around the airport area of Daang Maharlika. The project is targeted to be completed and functional in 2025.

The project jumpstarted in 2022 working on the embankment of 385.1 meters. An additional 0.761 lane kilometers was added in 2023. It is targeted to be completed and open to traffic by the year 2025.

Under the expansion program of the Civial Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) that closes the portion of Daang Maharlika, the by-pass road takes off from Daang Maharlika at Sito Talahib (of the city’s Barangay Trinidad) then reconnects to the Diversion Road in Barangay Cagsalaosao.

The by-pass road will serve as the main road once the project is completed and closure of the particular potion of Daang Maharlika is implemented by CAAP.

“It will be a longer route from Sitio Talahib to Barangay Cagsalaosao for vehicles that travel from north to south and vice-versa,” says bus driver Elias Prudencio and added that “tricycle, jeepney and bus fares will most likely increase once the road is open for traffic.”(CJ/ggp/JMM)