A P16-BILLION coastal bypass road may soon be constructed linking the cities of Naga and Talisay and the town of Minglanilla.

This is a way to solve the worsening traffic problem in the southern part of Metro Cebu.

Minglanilla, Cebu Mayor Elanito Peña said the project, which will be funded by the National Government, aims to decongest vehicular volume on the main highway, which has been a problem in Southern Cebu.

The project will cross the coastal villages of the cities of Naga and Talisay, and Minglanilla through the old Philippine National Railway routes.

In Minglanilla, the project will traverse the coastal villages of Tungkop, Tulay, Calajoan and Tungkil.

Peña told reporters yesterday that they initially made the proposal to have the bypass road before the Cebu Provincial Development Council a few years ago.

The proposal, after undergoing a series of feasibility studies, was eventually endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 last March.

It is now at the National Economic Development Authority for review.

Peña said that once the project is finished, it could decongest the national highway, which has been hounded by various problems.

But Peña said that even though the project is gaining traction, the project may take time as proponents need to convince some affected property owners to give up some of their properties.