LINGAYEN – A new commercial center was created for businessmen to take advantage of with the concreting by the Department of Public Works and Highways of a five-kilometer diversion road from Binmaley to Lingayen at Barangay Matalava.

The bonanza will be a boon to Lingayen andBinmaley which share the diversion road, half of which has already been concreted, said DPWH District Engineer Rodolfo Dion.

Dion said, half of the entire stretch belonging to the town of Lingayen, was already completed at a cost of P16 million while the other half, located in Binmaley, is awaiting a budget of P15 million.

“We are hoping that the budget will come soon so that we can finish the project up to the end of the year or by early January,” he said.

Funding for the entire project came from Rep. Amado Espino Jr. of the second district of Pangasinan.

Mayors Simplicio Rosario of Binmaley and Ernesto Castañeda sought the concreting of the diversion road that is usually flooded during the rainy season.

The diversion road created a new business area thus enticing more investments into both Lingayen and Binmaley.

Even if it is still half-finished, the diversion road is now serving as a short-cut road from Dagupan City to Lingayen, Bugallon, Aguilar and Mangatarem towns in Pangasinan as well as San Clemente and Camiling, Tarlac.

Actually, with the project only halfway thru, several businessmen are already pre-positioning themselves for spaces in the area, Dion said.

A gasoline station, several dozen seafood restaurants and other business establishments have already relocated to the area, anticipating business to perk up there in a few months. (PNA)