Zapote road project to ease traffic gridlock

from manilastandard.net by Macon Ramos-Araneta:

Traffic gridlock and flooding will be further prevented in Las Pinas City after  Sen. Cynthia Villar Environment Sec. Roy Cimatu, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar led the  inauguration of the completed stage 5 of the Zapote River Drive in the city.

With the completion of the new road project along Zapote river, the senator said she expects a significant reduction in the volume of vehicles plying Alabang-Zapote Road, a major thoroughfare in Las Pinas.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has named Alabang-Zapote Road, a four-lane national road, as among the maajor bottleneck areas in the southern part of Metro Manila.

“The new road project will also lessen travel time by 70 percent from Cavitex to MCX,” according to the senator.

Villar said she is fully aware of the terrible traffic affecting Las Pinas residents and all motorists and commuters passing through the Alabang-Zapote Road.

“I understand their anger and frustrations so I am always finding ways to minimize their  burden brought about by the heavy  traffic,” Villar said.

Aside from faster traffic flow, the senator braced for easier business movements to and from Las Pinas and the adjacent areas.

“I initiated this road project to make travelling easier and less burdensome for our people,” said Villar, adding that this will also help lessen  flooding in the city which resulted from the massive clean-up  of Las Piñas and Zapote River.

Due to the clean-up component of the road project, we have to rid the river of tons of garbage and make it free flowing again. “We can help stop flooding in the city,” she further stated.

Villar said the completion of the road project involves a 3.2 kilometers road crossing Springvale Heights, Versailles,  Enclave, Portofino to Evia at Daang Hari Road connecting to MCX.

She said the new road will also complete the 25 kilometers project from Cavitex to MCX connecting Cavite, Las Pinas  and Muntinlupa to the Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX)

The Zapote River Drive  starts from C5 Road to Brgy. Longos, Zapote, passing Zapote Underpass, Barangay Pamplona Dos, BF Resort Village, Moonwalk, Soldier Hills, Ayala Southvale, Springville Heights, Versailles. Enclave,Portofino and ends in Evia.

The completed Zapote River Drive is a part of the total 32 kilometers river drive road improvement initiated by Senator Villar that started in 2012. The other projects are the Las Pinas and Molino River drive which are set to be completed this year.

“The Zapote and Las Pinas Riverdrive as well as the Molino Riverdrive do not only ease up the traffic woes and flooding, it will also closely maintain the cleanliness of the river, which is considered the artery of the city and nearby areas, since the people along the river cannot throw their wastes anymore because the road is already fence,” the senator cited.

Villar has spent decades in ensuring the cleanliness, maintenance and rehabilitation of Las Pinas-Zapote river, which was previously clogged because of garbage that hindered the flow of water, caused water pollution and massive flooding. She created various livelihood projects out of water hyacinths, waste coconut husks, plastic wastes, kitchen and garden wastes which came from the river, as raw materials. Her “Sagip-Ilog” project was recognized as United Nations’ “Best Practices Award” in 2011. An initiative program which was recognized for protecting water resources and providing livelihood to Filipinos.