Tuesday, October 09, 2007 Ban-Tal flyover work postponed
STAKEHOLDERS got their wish after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) deferred the start of construction of the Banilad flyover from this month to February next year.
Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) said he talked with DPWH 7 Director Jerome dela Rosa yesterday morning and the official acceded to the request.
Earlier, he asked dela Rosa to look into the request of Banilad businessmen who wanted to take advantage of higher demand during Christmas season.
Mall owners, particularly those of the Banilad Town Centre and Gaisano Country Mall, asked del Mar through City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem to put off the construction to next year so they could still earn from Christmas shoppers.
WTG Construction and Development Corp. will undertake the project. It won the contract after submitting the lowest bid of P86.9 million early last month.
Del Mar acknowledged the request, published in Sun.Star Cebu last Sept. 17, and spoke with dela Rosa, who promised to do what he can by consulting their national office.
Preparation
Del Mar said he wants the construction to start on Feb. 1, 2008 to spare affected constituents and commuters the hassle during Christmas season and the Sinulog on the third Sunday of January.
“(But) it goes without saying that the preparation works should already be started to ensure that construction will go full blast without interruption,” he said.
Bunny Pages, Banilad-Talamban Traffic Solutions Coalition spokesperson, thanked del Mar for the development.
“In behalf of all the stakeholders, as not only the businessmen will be affected when construction starts, I thank Congressman del Mar and the DPWH for granting the request,” he said in an interview.
“We also commend Councilor Jack Jakosalem for his efforts in helping make this postponement happen,” he said.
Jakosalem, whom businessmen sought for help to ask del Mar for the postponement, said it was a “very welcome development” as the peak of the construction will be during the summer vacation, when traffic is light in the Banilad-Talamban area because there are no classes.
He also said Citom now has more than enough time to carefully study alternative routes once construction starts.
The flyover, whose construction the businessmen and homeowners tried to block, will be built at the corner of Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. and A.S. Fortuna St.
Jakosalem also said that with the postponement, the City Council, too, can deliberate on a traffic options that will lessen inconvenience to the public.“This accommodation is consistent with my policy to minimize, as much as possible, the adverse effects and inconveniences suffered by the affected residents and commuters brought about during the construction of my flyover projects,” del Mar said.
Jakosalem said the DPWH assured that Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. will not be totally closed during the actual construction.
And if it cannot be avoided, full closure of the road will be done at night, when traffic is light. (RHM)
