Dangerous Roads

Concern about motorist safety and the ‘weakened’ capacity of historic Kennon Road, popularly known as” Zigzag Road” to bear heavy loads prompted an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways to ban heavy trucks to pass along the said highway. Engineer Edilberto Carabbacan, regional director of DPWH-Cordillera ordered a ban on Kennon Road to all types of trucks— 6 wheeler of 11 tons (loaded), 10 wheeler with 12 tons (no load) and 18 wheeler 17 tons (no load).
He said that preventing these truck and buses along the “shaky road” is to prevent accidents and further damage to the three bridges along Kennon which were declared by the DPWH Bureau of Design as ‘weak’.
The DPWH is strictly enforcing a one-way traffic with no shifting gears along the Kennon Bridge, Demonstration Bridge and Camp 6 Bridge for safety purposes.
Carabbacan added: “Our concern is safety for everyone, the motorist and the riding public. We have already recommended the immediate repair and restoration of the bridges”.
Carabbacan admitted that Kennon is fragile considering that there are many areas aside from the bridges that need to be repaired and to be improved.
”If we continue allowing heavy trucks on Kennon Road it would aggravate the damaged sections,’ he said.
The scenic Kennon Road is still the shortest route going to Baguio. The road offers landmarks sights as the panoramic Zigzag Road and the Lion’s head.
Earlier, concerned citizen here lead by then former regional director Alfred Mondiguing of the Department of Transportation and Communication, and various university schools communication groups and non-government organization in Baguio City have planted various fruit-bearing seedlings and pine tree seedlings at Kennon roadsides but failed to sustain the monitoring whether the trees are growing or not.