05 August 2005
On hindsight, DPWH plan to raise roads was wise
IF businessmen in Dagupan City only heeded a proposal to raise the road level here by at least half a meter after the 1990 earthquake, the city’s roads would still be passable even during floods, Mayor Benjamin S. Lim said Thursday.
Lim recalled that owners of establishments here had strongly opposed the plan of the public works and highways back then to elevate the roads because their stores would be practically submerged. “I was one of those who opposed, but I now realize the importance of that proposal,” he told a radio interview.
Lim’s family owns a chain of retail stores in the downtown area.
The killer 1990 earthquake badly battered the city particularly the business district. Most buildings either tilted or sank by a feet some sinking by almost a meter.
A massive rehabilitation work on damaged infrastructures was done that included the reconstruction of the Magsaysay bridge, the two main roadlines (A.B. Fernandez and Perez Boulevard) and side streets, and the drainage system.
The roads were simply rehabilitated without elevating them.
Since that great quake, the city, which is barely above sea level, had been battered by big floods every year owing to heavy siltation of river systems that make for slower flow of excess water to the sea.
Lim said that if the road is elevated, building owners would just follow the lead and also find means to raise their establishments too. He noted that, after the quake, some owners whose buildings sank just converted their units’ second floor into ground floors, a very practical move.
Hoping to lessen the flooding problem, the city bought a dredging machine which arrived last week.The machine was immediately put to work after an orientation of city technicians on its operations. The dredger crew now operates in two shifts.
Stationed at the Pantal river, the dredger can remove up to 30 to 40 truckloads of silt per hour.
The city’s river systems, spanning about 450 hectares, are so heavily silted that it would take about eight years for the machine to do the job even if it is operated continuously for 16 hours.
If funds warrant, Lim said the city may buy one more next year.
Lim recalled that owners of establishments here had strongly opposed the plan of the public works and highways back then to elevate the roads because their stores would be practically submerged. “I was one of those who opposed, but I now realize the importance of that proposal,” he told a radio interview.
Lim’s family owns a chain of retail stores in the downtown area.
The killer 1990 earthquake badly battered the city particularly the business district. Most buildings either tilted or sank by a feet some sinking by almost a meter.
A massive rehabilitation work on damaged infrastructures was done that included the reconstruction of the Magsaysay bridge, the two main roadlines (A.B. Fernandez and Perez Boulevard) and side streets, and the drainage system.
The roads were simply rehabilitated without elevating them.
Since that great quake, the city, which is barely above sea level, had been battered by big floods every year owing to heavy siltation of river systems that make for slower flow of excess water to the sea.
Lim said that if the road is elevated, building owners would just follow the lead and also find means to raise their establishments too. He noted that, after the quake, some owners whose buildings sank just converted their units’ second floor into ground floors, a very practical move.
Hoping to lessen the flooding problem, the city bought a dredging machine which arrived last week.The machine was immediately put to work after an orientation of city technicians on its operations. The dredger crew now operates in two shifts.
Stationed at the Pantal river, the dredger can remove up to 30 to 40 truckloads of silt per hour.
The city’s river systems, spanning about 450 hectares, are so heavily silted that it would take about eight years for the machine to do the job even if it is operated continuously for 16 hours.
If funds warrant, Lim said the city may buy one more next year.
