Saturday, August 16, 2008 Tomas to work on 3 flyovers, 2 underpasses for South road
BEFORE his term ends in 2010, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to get approval and funding for three flyovers and two underpasses as additional components of the Cebu South Coastal Road.
Osmeña said he does not expect to complete the project by 2010, but he wants to put all the plans and funding in place before he leaves City Hall.
For each flyover alone, some P200 million will be needed, he said.
City Hall will start drafting proposals to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), one of the possible funding agencies for the project.
Osmeña believes the additional infrastructure will enhance the development of the South Road Properties (SRP).
High volume
He said he planned the construction of additional projects that will improve traffic flow to the SRP after learning of the high volume of vehicles that use the South Coastal Road.
According to a survey conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office, at least 30,000 vehicles pass through the coastal road every day.
“The traffic count now is 30,000 cars a day, and this proves my point that the coastal road is useful. Nobody wanted to build a road there because they said nobody goes there. Of course, nobody goes there because there was no road going there... but now you have 30,000 cars using it,” Osmeña said.
In his news conference yesterday, the mayor presented prints of the proposed flyover at the intersection at the SRP that leads to Barangay Mambaling.
The two other flyovers will be at the S. Osmeña Blvd., specifically at the intersection of Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Juan Luna Ave.
Underpasses
He also wants to construct two underpasses at the SRP, one at the intersection leading to Talisay City and another one at the Mambaling intersection.
The mayor said that the four-lane flyover could easily cost double the amount spent for the flyover in Barangay Banilad, which has a contract price of some P89 million.
Despite the short distance from each other, Osmeña believes the proposed flyovers at S. Osmeña Blvd. will ease congestion there.
“We will have a flyover near SM City and the old White Gold so that the cars can go super fast all the way to the SRP... The flyovers will be near each other, but this is a busy intersection, so it’s okay. I’ll try to get approval before the end of my term,” he told reporters.
With the additional infrastructure, the mayor said the City Government can make Cebu City “become like the rest of the world,” where road networks and traffic management are well designed.
“What’s important is to document everything before 2010 then we can talk to some Japanese agencies that can fund it... I’d like to assure the constituents that I’m working hard. Others can go ego-tripping and keep insulting me, but I’ll just work hard,” Osmeña added. (LCR)
