LINGAYEN—A road normally taken by trucks of illegal loggers passing through mountain slopes is now being eyed for expansion as a new super highway that will connect Pangasinan to Zambales.

This was revealed by Second Highway District Engineer Rodolfo Dion who said the proposed new highway, with a length of 85 kilometers and a 20-meter right of way, is un-

der consideration by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Proposed to be financed solely through local funds, the project site was recently inspected by a team led by Dion and Zambales District Engineer Domingo Mariano.

The highway will connect the town of Mangatarem, passing through barangay Mapita in Aguilar town, to Sta. Cruz, Zambales.

The Pangasinan side of the highway is 27 kilometers while the Zambales side is 58 kilometers.

“In the pilot operation, we were looking at the possible alignment of the new highway which will cut through several mountain slopes overlooking the scenic Dasol Bay between Pangasinan and Zambales,” Dion said.

Construction of the Zambales side of the new highway already started, using an initial P20 million released by the DPWH.

He said once completed, the new highway will be the second access road that will connect Pangasinan and Zambales.

The old route is through the Infanta-Sta. Cruz road in Western Pangasinan.

Dion said the DPWH is already securing environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources since some trees would be cut.

Once completed, the new highway will open the boundary of Pangasinan and Zambales to investments, especially for eco-tourism, as the climate in the areas to be traversed by the project is similar to the mountain tourism destinations of Baguio and Tagaytay.

Dion is optimistic that the project can be finished by the end of this year.—LM

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