Naval-Caibiran Cross Country Road (NCCCR) slowly preparing for future road widening

Press Release
March 23, 2016

NAVAL, Biliran – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) - Biliran District Engineering Office (BDEO) Acting Chief of Planning and Design Section, Engr. Rosario B. Rosete revealed that they are slowly preparing a portion of Naval-Caibiran Cross Country Road (Calumpang Road Section) for future road widening project.

Engr. Rosete in an interview said that the construction of covered drainage along Calumpang Road section has been strategically located after a one lane space on both sides from its existing pavement to prepare it for future widening project.

“Parang widening na rin yan kasi 1 lane ang prinepare naming as shoulders sa left and right side ng road”, said Rosete. However, Engr. Rosete clarified that it is still not a road widening project in as much as the thickness of the pavement does not conform to the standards of a widened pavement considering that the main project is construction of drainage only.

She explained that Widening is the construction of one lane pavement with a width of3.05 m. on both sides of the existing pavement with a thickness of 0.28 meters.

She further disclosed that as of now they are still hesitant to widen the road in front of the Municipal Hall to the Philippine Port Authority because the office will not be paying anymore for the damages affected by the widening project. She explained that as per advise by legal authorities of the DPWH Regional Office VIII, payment for damages is not allowed since the road is a National Road. It was also informed that BDEO is the only District Engineering Office that was paying for the damages affected by the road widening project in Region VIII. There is an estimated P50M damages of property on the said section if ever road widening will be implemented.

“Kaya hesitant kami mag-widen from Municipyo to downtown kasi walang bayad at malalaki ang mada-damage kaya titigil muna kami, pero possible for widening talaga yan kasi malaki ang AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic) nyan”, said Engr. Rosete.

Along Naval-Caibiran Cross Country Road (Calumpang Road Section) lies several government agencies both local and national agencies such as the Naval Provincial Capitol, National Food Authority (NFA), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Tourism and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Biliran.