THE underpass project in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City was formally opened to traffic at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 15, 2019.

Project Engineer Roy de la Cruz of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 said a mass was officiated by Fr. Gino Godinez of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes (Lourdes Parish) at 9 a.m.

In attendance were engineers from DPWH and WT Construction, the contractor.

“It was not an inauguration, but a formal opening of the project to traffic. We can have the inauguration in the near future with officials from Cebu City Hall, DPWH and others concerned,” de la Cruz said.

Under the temporary traffic scheme devised by the City Transportation Office, only private vehicles are allowed to use the underpass. Public utility vehicles like jeepneys and buses will have to use the side streets where they can drop off and pick up passengers.

De la Cruz said a traffic light was installed on a pocket lane above the underpass where vehicles from southern Cebu can cross and turn left to F. Llamas St. and proceed to Punta Princesa. Vehicles from F. Llamas St. can cross the pocket lane and turn left to the city center.

De la Cruz said they did not observe any significant changes in traffic in the area, but probably because it was a Saturday.

“We will really know if there is no traffic in the area once we will experience the peak hours on Monday, June 17, because it’s is a workday,” he said. (EOB)