Rama Asks DPWH to Remove Road Barriers in Flyovers

Mayor Michael Rama has instructed the officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately remove the concrete road barriers that they installed in the middle of flyovers in Cebu City because it will not prevent accidents, but invite road mishaps.

“Kon dili nila kuhaon ang mga road barriers sa flyovers, ako’y mokuha ana aron malikayan ang disgrasya,” the mayor told the reporters after he presided the meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) executive committee yesterday. (If they won’t remove the road barriers in the flyovers, I will be the one to remove it so that accidents will be avoided.)

These concrete barriers are intended to divide lanes of traffic designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact and prevent the drivers from overtaking while on top of the flyovers.

DPWH District Engineer Nicomedes Leonor has advised the mayor to first find out the reason why the road barriers are being installed. Leonor said he remembered that it was the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) who imposed such requirement. “Ang Citom man ang nag-request ana… ipabasa ang mga recommendations per flyover basin og nakalimot lang si mayor,” Leonor said. (It is the CITOM who requested that…have the recommendations per flyover read, the mayor might have just forgotten.)

Leonor reveals that each road barriers has reflector studs so it can be seen at night.

Citom Acting Chairman Rafael Christopher Yap said he will verify if the DPWH works are consistent with the safety requirements.

The mayor suggested that instead of placing the concrete road barriers in flyovers, the DPWH can use plastic-type barriers so that in case there will be accidents, it will not cause serious damages that may also claim the lives of the motorists.

“Unsa may mahitabo kon mabanggaan nang mga semento? Tulimbang ang sakyanan,” he told the reporters. (What will happen if the the concrete road barriers will be hit? The vehicle will be overturned.)

Rama said that many of the motorists that are going home at late night or wee hours in the morning drive their vehicles fast and it is not impossible that they will not hit the concrete barriers.

Two months ago, a former beauty pageant contestant lost her leg after her vehicle rammed into the concrete road barriers installed at the approach of the flyover in Barangay Banilad.