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Friday, February 01, 2008
Banilad flyover work starts Friday
CEBU CITY -- Since there is no formal request for postponement from the Cebu City mayor, initial work on the Banilad flyover will start at 6 a.m. Friday.
No major traffic disruption is expected. Initial work will only cover surveys, layouting and cutting of pavements and would not require heavy equipment or the closure of the entire stretch of the construction site yet, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 officials said.
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DPWH Cebu City Director Nicomedes Leonor and Representative Raul del Mar both agreed there is no more reason to delay the construction and that it will start Friday.
After the scrapping of the odd-even scheme and the rerouting of public utility vehicles (PUVs), Barangay Banilad officials are at a loss on how traffic will be managed Friday.
The Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom) and the Cebu City Council will observe the traffic flow and will discuss possible traffic management options.
Banilad Barangay Captain Malou Tabar said the last time they had a meeting with Citom was when they were briefed about the rerouting and the odd-even scheme.
Confusion
Although she was informed about the scrapping of the twin measures, Citom was not able to brief barangay officials on what to do in the absence of alternative schemes.
"Samok gyud ni ugma. Nganong karon wala na may scheme? Depende na lang gyud ni sa tawo asa sila gusto muagi. I'm sure there will be confusion until we all know what Citom will do because they haven't discussed the developments, wala na mi kahibalo. We will just have to play it by ear," Tabar told Sun.Star Cebu.
Citom Executive Director Arnel Tancinco admitted they still don't know what scheme they will adopt during the construction period.
For now, vehicles can use Gov. Cuenco Ave. but will not be allowed to make a left turn to Gaisano Country Mall and the Banilad Town Center (BTC).
Citom will also strictly implement a "no-fault" zone, especially near the area where the 390-meter, P89.6-million flyover will be constructed.
"Based on what we agreed on with the mayor, we will give the people a chance to find their own solution to the problem. Sila na ang bahala asa sila gusto muagi. We will just decide on what to do as time goes by," Tancinco said.
Read signs
He advised the public to follow the traffic advisory signage that they started to put up last night. He also said motorists should avoid using Gov. Cuenco Ave. and should take the alternative routes instead.
Alternative routes identified are J. Panis St. and Bonifacio Drive in Cebu City, and M.L. Quezon St., Canduman Road and Hernan Cortes Sts. in Mandaue City.
Citom will also deploy 81 traffic enforcers to the affected routes Friday to man traffic at intersections, pedestrian lanes and in busy areas, such as schools and commercial centers.
The police will send one patrol car to the Food-land area to help enforcers man the traffic Friday.
Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador, however, said the team from the Mobile Patrol Group will only be assisting the traffic policemen and enforcers, especially in investigating accidents that may occur in the area.
Some beat patrol policemen from Mabolo Police Station will also be sent there.
No closure
In phone interviews Thursday, City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem and Leonor said the contractor will start with the preliminary work today but will not be closing the road yet.
"There will no road closure yet tomorrow because they will only be doing measurements and surveys. But because there will be some guys working on the road, maybe a certain portion will be closed for a few minutes. The contractor said the two lanes will be closed by next week yet," the councilor said.
The initial work will be done at the area fronting BTC.
Leonor said there is no more reason to postpone the construction, which is something only DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane can order upon the request of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
The City Council passed a resolution last Wednesday, asking DPWH to consider postponing the construction of flyover for one to two months.
But as of last night, Leonor said there was no formal request from the mayor or the council for the postponement.
Green light
"We can postpone it if there is an official request from Congressman del Mar and the mayor to defer it but in the absence of that, we're going ahead with it tomorrow. For me, there is no more reason to delay it further," he said last night.
He further said the layouting and cutting of pavement will start this morning, "but there will be no hindrance to passing vehicles."
In his news conference, Vice Mayor Michael Rama criticized DPWH for pursuing the project without putting everything in place.
As of Thursday noon, signs have not been put up and roads on the alternative routes have not been completely rehabilitated.
The agency has yet to acquire the road right-of-way for the widening of Gov. Cuenco Ave., specifically the area near the flyover.
"If there will be chaos tomorrow, will the DPWH answer for it and respond to it? It will still be the City Government through Citom that will respond. And will Citom be able to handle it? DPWH always has that habit, they think they're God," he said, pointing out the agency's failure to comply with the requirements of the flyover construction.
Understanding
Del Mar also said he will not allow another postponement of the construction, adding that the project has been delayed for so long.
"I appeal to the Ban-Tal commuters for their cooperation and understanding. We wish we could avoid causing them inconvenience but it's just not possible if we are to decongest the intersection to improve traffic flow. I hope they will bear with us," he added.
Asked for her reactions to the traffic expected in the area, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia refused to comment.
When further asked, considering it will affect the Ciudad project, the Capitol's joint venture with a private developer, Garcia said, "I cannot connect the dots."
"I will refuse to make an issue out of anything that has happened as regards to Banilad at this time," Garcia added. (LCR/With JST & JGA/Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (February 1, 2008 issue)
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