Kennon Road opened 2-way to light vehicles

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

TUBA, Benguet -- Kennon Road has been reopened to two-way traffic starting Dec. 24, 2023 upon the approval of the Metro BLISTT (Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay) Council.
    The reopening was subject to the conditions that only light vehicles (both public and private) weighing ten tons and below will be allowed, the maximum speed limit will be 40 kph and that no parking will be allowed along the stretch.

    Public vehicles include UV Express vehicles plying the Baguio-Rosario route only. 

    Other UV Express vehicles were advised to take alternate routes.

    Since travel resumed, traffic personnel have been manning the road 24/7 to direct traffic and monitor the traffic situation also as part of the conditions.

    In an advisory, the council which is chaired by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and composed of Benguet Gov, Melchor Diclas, BLISTT mayors and representatives of line agencies said the  decision was reached in a meeting last Dec. 21, 2023 after discussing the post-inspection report of the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Kennon on the viability of reopening the route subject to road safety measures.

    Following the deactivation of the task force pursuant to a resolution, the council took over the responsibilities relating to the management of Kennon Road on its capacity as the governing board and policy-making body of the soon to be established MBLISTT Development Authority.

    Among the mandates of the MBLISTTDA is the management of traffic and transport within the BLISTT area.

    The MBLISTT council along with the City Peace and Order Council had pressed for Kennon Road's reopening to help ease the traffic problem with the influx of vacationers for the Christmas holidays.

    Road safety measures were requested which included hastening road repair and rehabilitation activities, clearing of obstructions, debris and illegally parked vehicles, and installation of signage and other early warning devices.

    "Kennon Road is one of the major access roads leading to Baguio City and the Province of Benguet and is the shortest route to Rosario, La Union to Baguio City with a total length of 33.7 km but closed to the riding public due to its unsafe state especially aggravated by recent typhoons and earthquakes," the council noted in an earlier resolution.

    "As a result of the closure of Kennon Road, alternate routes to Baguio City and the Province of Benguet have been experiencing heavy traffic at the inconvenience of residents and tourists alike.  Traffic in the alternate routes is only expected to worsen in December, when travel and tourist arrivals are at its peak.   Full reopening of Kennon Road at the soonest possible time, provided that all the foregoing concerns are addressed, will result in multiple benefits that include comfort and convenience of motorists, cost and time savings, decongestion of alternate roads, and reinvigorated economic activity along the route."