DONA REMEDIOS TRINIDAD (DRT), Bulacan—The 7.4 billion DRT-Dingalan bypass road initiative project of Bulacan Third District Rep. Lorna SIlverio has already started its construction last February 1.
The road project, earlier known as the East Alignment road will shorten to only 68 kilometers (km) the 300 km travel distance between the two towns across the three provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora in Central Luzon, which started construction last month.
Melquiades Sto. Domingo, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 3 assistant regional director said in a media interview at his office last week that the works for the P200 million worth first 4.33 km of the 19.27 km DRT section of the bypass road started through a simple ground breaking in Sitio Betis, Barangay Kalawakan, DRT on Feb. 1.
The DRT-Dingalan bypass is a 67.93 km two lane road with 3.35 meter wide each lane and 2.5 each shoulder lane on both sides.
Silverio, proponent of the project said the bypass road will provide a road network within the municipality of San Miguel and DRT in Bulacan, Gen. Tinio (Papaya) Nueva Ecija and Dingalan in Aurora and will aid in accelerating economic development and increasing agricultural activities in the three provinces.
The dream road link will also enhance more access to tourist destinations in the three provinces, Silverio added.
Gen. Tinio portion covers 38.46 km while Dingalan covers 10. 20 km.
Sto. Domingo told Inquirer the project will have a phase by phase multi-year completion but full construction and availability for motorists use is expected in 2029.
The Bulacan portion is expected to be completed in 2026.
Other than works in DRT, partial works in Dingalan have also started, Sto. Domingo added.
The DRT-Dingalan bypass is the second major bypass initiative project of Silverio after the Plaridel Bypass road in 2011.
Plaridel bypass road continues to bring fast economic growth in the eastern side of Bulacan. The bypass directly connects the northbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) through Balagtas exit to San Ildefonso town bound to San Miguel town and Nueva Ecija passing along the towns of Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Baliwag, San Rafael.
Industrial, commercial and residential activities continue to spur in the said towns because of the bypass.
Bulacan’s new DPWH third district office (a sub-office) headed by district engineer Ruben Santos and assistant district engineer Edgardo Pingol will assist and support the agency’s regional office in the supervision and monitoring of the works in the project.
