Underground cabling to start Nov. 5 on Naga avenue

UNDERGROUND cabling along M.T. Villanueva Avenue in Naga City is set to begin on Nov. 5 as part of a joint infrastructure initiative expected to modernize the major thoroughfare by April or May 2027.

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has scheduled the excavation for the underground cabling project, with pilot testing and completion targeted for April or May next year. The facility is expected to be turned over to the Camarines II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II) in May 2027.

The schedule was agreed upon during a meeting among the NEA, other stakeholders, and the Naga City government led by Mayor Leni Robredo, which also addressed concerns over possible conflicts with the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) ongoing redevelopment of the avenue.

The underground system will accommodate Casureco II's electrical wires and the cables of telecommunications companies, which will be assigned designated conduits.

The project will cover an 800-meter stretch from the corner of M.T. Villanueva and Peñafrancia avenues to the intersection of M.T. Villanueva Avenue and Queborac Road in Barangay Bagumbayan Sur.

The DPWH, which began redevelopment work in the first week of October, will construct pedestrian walkways, streetlights, bicycle lanes, and tree-lined sidewalks on both sides of the road.

Designated lay-bys will also be established for vehicles loading and unloading passengers. These areas will strictly serve that purpose and will not be used for parking.

The City Engineer's Office is proposing pedestrian refuge islands to provide safer waiting areas for people crossing the road, as well as rumble strips to discourage speeding.

The redevelopment will retain the required dimensions of the four-lane national highway, ensuring that the improvements do not compromise the road's carriageway.

Once completed, the projects are expected to provide pedestrians with wider, shaded walkways and better lighting while removing the visual clutter of dangling wires. The improvements are also intended to promote safer travel for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

The city government expects the modernized M.T. Villanueva Avenue to be ready by April or May 2027.