MOTORISTS who regularly travel on the Cebu South Coastal Road in Talisay City were urged to brace for “slight” traffic delays.
The City of Talisay Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA) laid out a traffic scheme in preparation for the rehabilitation and repair of the Mananga Bridge 3 on the Cebu South Coastal Road.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Second Engineering District aims to start rehabilitating Mananga Bridge 3 on Friday, April 27.
Rehabilitation of the northbound lane of the bridge, for P29 million, could last until the second or third week of June, said DPWH Second Engineering District head Leslie Anthony Molina.
Engr. Almond Dela Peña, CT-TODA head, said that even after DPWH’s contractor starts work on Friday night, three lanes of the Mananga Bridge 3 will remain open.
Two lanes will be open to motorists going to Cebu City while one lane will be open to southbound traffic from 6 a.m. to 12 noon.
From noon to 10 p.m., the CT-TODA will then open two lanes for those traveling to the south and one for those going to Cebu City, Dela Peña said.
Traffic enforcers from CT-TODA will be deployed on both ends of the bridge to prevent traffic congestion.
‘Slight congestion’
Dela Peña pointed out there are alternative routes for motorists in case they want to avoid traffic on the CSCR. Motorists can use the alternative routes from Barangay Tabunok to Rabaya St. and Fidel Bas St. to San Isidro Road.
There’s also a diversion road from Barangay Linao but due to an ongoing road rehabilitation there, motorists are not advised to use it, for now.
Dela Peña expects “slight congestion” near the Mananga Bridge 3 since the rehabilitation was timed for the summer vacation, when fewer trips are made daily.
The traffic scheme aims to minimize trip delays, especially during rush hour, Dela Peña added.
In a separate interview, Molina said that after coordinating with CTTODA, the DPWH started placing signs from Talisay City to Cebu City to inform motorists about the rehabilitation and repair works.
Molina also assured the public that their contractor will work 24 hours daily to ensure that their work on the Mananga Bridge 3 will be finished in June.
“We will closely monitor the contractor to ensure that they don’t delay the repair of the bridge,” Molina added. (CNU Intern Jencelee Angela Quirante, With JKV)