Cal was asked by businessmen to study the viability of the proposed P150-million flyover at the junction of Gov. Cuenco Ave. and A.S. Fortuna St.
The former transportation undersecretary spoke in yesterday morning’s public hearing called by the Cebu City Council for stakeholders to share their views on the issue.
While leaders of eight northern barangays “strongly” supported the construction of the flyover, businessmen and home-owners were not ecstatic about it, preferring a widened road and “flared intersections.”
Cal, in presenting his study, described the proposed flyover as “inadequate” and “not practical.” He said that what is needed is a four-lane divided flyover to accommodate the number of vehicles.
After studying the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) design, he and City Planning and Development Officer Paul Villarete agreed that the flyover alone will not solve traffic woes in the area.
Villarete, in particular, warned DPWH that unless his and the City Traffic Operations Management’s conditions are met, his office will not give the DPWH the necessary permit.
Among the conditions he set is the modification of the J. Panis intersection leading to the Gaisano Country Mall, and creation of two left-turning lanes and two right-turning lanes at the A.S. Fortuna junction.
He said the DPWH should set up two box culverts on the Mahiga Bridge to create two more lanes and later lower the bridge.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama also mentioned a provision of the Local Government Code that stipulated that projects should have prior approval from the City Council.
Cal said that in three years, the flyover will no longer be able to accommodate the number of vehicles.
Computing passenger car units (PCUs), with an average of 660 vehicles (excluding PUJs which are expected to use the side roads) using the flyover, the current PCU is already 1,364.
He said that the capacity of a flyover with two-way traffic is 1,600 PCU.
Based on Cal’s simulation, the number of south-bound vehicles queuing at the J. Panis intersection will significantly increase because they are no longer hampered by the A.S. Fortuna intersection.
“Obvious courses of action to make full utilization of the flyover will include improving the layout of the Mahiga intersection and widening of the section of Gov. Cuenco Ave. between Foodland intersection and USC-TC,” his findings said.
“Unfortunately, this will not change the fact that a two-lane flyover is inadequate to cater to an increase in through traffic volume by as little as 10%. Should one pursue the flyover solution, then a four-lane divided flyover would be needed,” it added.
But, Cal said, the DPWH must first widen the two-lane Hernan Cortes St. in Mandaue City to a four-lane highway as alternative widening to relieve bottlenecks in Gov. Cuenco.
He also proposed that the road from the Foodland area to the University of San Carlos-Technological Center be widened to accommodate more north-bound vehicles.
Instead of a flyover, Cal suggested that Gov. Cuenco Ave. be widened to a six-lane divided highway; improving layouts of the Mahiga (J. Panis St.) and Foodland intersections; and reconstruction of Mahiga Bridge to provide a 6-lane divided road, and level the slope approaches leading to the bridge.
During the public hearing, the DPWH 7 reported they have already advertised the project for bidding.
Engineer Adriano Doroy said, however, that bidding can still be stopped if Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) will order it.
Contrary to earlier claims that funding is already available, DPWH said they still need P75 million, which they would ask for inclusion in the DPWH’s 2008 budget.
What is available, said engineer Leah Negre, is the P49 million allocated for Gov. Cuenco, P40 million for this year’s infrastructure program, and P34 million that was realigned after construction of a flyover along Juan Luna Ave. near the Carmelite Monastery was put off.
City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said that DPWH will be running the risk of halting construction later on to wait for the additional budget.
“That’s a major problem if they want to start the project na. I was surprised to see in the (DPWH 7) presentation the lack of P75 million because that was a concern brought out in the first public hearing,” he said.
“And DPWH said it would be part of the 2007 budget. But now, her (Negre) presentation says it’s still to be included in the 2008 budget. So, what’s the real story?” he added.
He said that if the P75-million request is disapproved, the situation would be like that of the Subangdaku, Mandaue City flyover, which took years to finish because construction was started even when full funding was not yet available.
In its regular session yesterday afternoon, the City Council, upon Jakosalem’s request, agreed to furnish copies of the minutes of the public hearing to the national office of DPWH.
“So they (DPWH officials) can base their decision and plans on the opinions and ideas presented during the public hearing,” he said. (RHM)
