Osmeña Says Major Traffic Mitigating Projects to Start This Year

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena has said major traffic mitigating projects will be implemented starting this year.

Osmena said among them are an underpass on the Mambaling access road exit of the South Road Properties and some 20 flyovers in some major intersections in the city.

Osmena said the construction of an underpass on the Mambaling Access Road exit of the SRP will give commuters from the south quicker access to the city’s downtown areas.

If built, it will be the second underpass in the city, next to the one built at the entrance of the Cebu South Coastal Road.

Osmeña said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 has been authorized to hire consultants who will prepare the detailed engineering design for the underpass and the flyover projects.

All these projects will be funded by the National Government, he said.

Osmena said he wants newly-appointed Cebu City Administrator Nigel Paul Villarete to concentrate on the flyovers and underpass projects, aside from the PHP10.6-billion Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

Osmeña said Villarete, the former general manager of the Mactan Cebu International airport authority, along with lawyer Rafael Christopher Yap, are expected to fly to Manila soon to work on the other requirements for the project.

Yap, who is the acting department head of the Cebu City Transportation Office, will still be the project manager of the BRT project, while Villarete will work closely with him.

Osmena said the city is working on downloading at least PHP1.3 billion for the mass transport project, which will be used to acquire road right-of-way lots. (PNA)LAP/EB/SSC