Saturday, August 04, 2007 Speak out: Alternatives to planned flyover By Banilad-Talamban Road Traffic Solutions Coalition (BRTSC
THE first study commissioned by Banilad-Talamban Road Traffic Solutions Coalition (BRTSC) stated that the coalition does not oppose flyovers to solve traffic problems.
In fact, it agrees with the construction of all the flyovers in Manila.
What it opposes is the kind of flyover proposed for the Cuenco/Fortuna intersection, which is just a crossover (2-lane) flyover.
There are several crossover flyovers in Metro Manila, but these are four lanes in width (2 lanes in each direction) sitting on an 8-10 lane by 6-8 lane intersection.
A second study commissioned by BRTSC was headed by Dr. Primitivo Cal, former dean and current professor of the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning.
Cal has a PhD in transportation engineering from the University of Dundee, UK.
He is a former undersecretary of the DOTC.
Resume
He worked as an Assistant Traffic Engineer in the City Engineer's Department/Highways Transportation Department, Southampton, England for several years.
He was the first chairman of Citom and former executive director of the Metro Cebu Transportation and Traffic Engineering Office.
He was the project director of the Metro Cebu Land Use and Transport Study (McLuts), a master plan for Cebu's land use and traffic/transportation system up to Year 2000.
He is a board topnotcher and an awardee of PRC as Most Outstanding Civil Engineer of the decade 1970-1980.
Cal's study states that, "A two-lane flyover is not practical. What is needed is a four-lane flyover."
He says that, "a two-lane flyover is inadequate to cater to an increase in traffic volume by as little as 10 percent.
Geometric plan
He recommends the Geometric Improvement Option, which includes the following:
Phase 1: Widening H. Cortes St. to four lanes and widening Gov. Cuenco to six lanes from Mahiga to A.S. Fortuna.
Phase 2: Rebuilding Mahiga Bridge and improving the layout of its intersection. Widening to six lanes the road rom Mahiga to Paradise intersection.
Phase 3: Improving the layout of the Foodland intersection.
Note that there is no mention of a construction of a flyover in the recommendations.
Rep. Raul del Mar said that, "the flyover, as well as the proposed alternative solutions, is needed to solve the traffic woes in the area.
The problem should be addressed one at a time. And right now, what the government has is funding for just a two-lane flyover.
A two-lane flyover, which would require a 26-meter right-of-way, would cost P140 million.
A four-lane flyover would need an additional right-of-way of at least 10 meters and that would double the cost to P280 million.
Such a right-of-way requirement would already hit expensive multi-story buildings.
Cheaper
Should del Mar insists on a two-lane flyover and decide later on for an additional 2-lane flyover to make it into four lanes, we hope that Cal and other experts be consulted to calculate the costs.
Surely, there are cheaper and more effective alternatives than spending P280 million of taxpayer's money for a four-lane flyover.
In such a case, Cal's recommendations should be the one that should be implemented.
