DPWH upgrades, widens roads in Quirino
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, June 22 (PIA) — In a bid to boost tourism and economic activities in the province, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Quirino District Engineering Office (DPWH-QDEO) is now fast tracking the completion of the road upgrading project leading to the province’s famous Aglipay Caves.
According to District Engineer Marifel T. Andes, the project has P20 million budget which is part of the Tourism Road Infrastructure Project (TRIP) under the Department of Tourism-Department of Public Works and Highways (DOT-DPWH) Convergence program.
Andes said the project involves paving of existing gravel road, including drainage and slope protection structures.
Aglipay Caves, one of the best known attractions in Quirino province, is composed of a limestone cave system located at Barangay Villa Sur in the municipality of Aglipay.
“Once completed, it would provide a 1.60 lane kilometer of concrete road that will enhance accessibility and shorten travel time to the tourist spot,” she said.
Meanwhile, the District Office is also currently implementing a road widening project amounting to P92 million pesos along Echague-Jones-Maddela Road connecting the provinces of Isabela and Quirino.
Andes said the project, funded under the DPWH’s Network Development Program, will provide a 6.56 lane kilometer of widened road network to ensure safe and reliable national road system.
It also involves the widening of 3.28 kilometer within the road network including the provision of drainage and slope protection structures, according to Andes.
“This road network is one of the gateways for motorists coming from the province of Isabela to the province of Quirino and vice versa. This will also boost tourism and economic activities in the area,” Andes added.
The two projects are expected to be completed within the end of the year. (ALM/PIA-2/with reports from Wilfrid V. Catu, DPWH-Quirino)