THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)-Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) has approved the Metro Cebu Intermodal and Integrated Transport System proposed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The project includes the establishment of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), skytrain, Intelligent Transportation System, greenways project, and Light Rail Transit, among others.
All these, according to the DOTr, encompass the "basket of solutions" that aims to address congestion and transport problems in Metro Cebu.
The system will also "ensure interoperability and interconnectivity of different transport modes, and provide an improved public transportation system for the metropolitan area," said DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade in a letter to Neda Secretary Ernesto Pernia.
Tugade added that the Cebu BRT project will be implemented "along the length and alignment only deemed feasible" by the DOTr.
On Thursday, July 26, Tugade said in an interview that some roads in Metro Cebu are not fit for BRT.
"Yung ibang kalsada natin, hindi talagang tugma sa BRT yan. Kasi ang kalsada mo, one lane, two lanes, paano lalagyan ng BRT yan? Baka pwede mong lagyan ng subway, or LRT, yun yong mga pinag-uusapan ngayon (Some of our roads are not really fit for BRT, because some of them only have one or two lanes. How can you put a BRT there? Maybe we can build a subway, or LRT)," Tugade said.
He said in the letter to Pernia that the DOTr is finalizing its studies on the integrated and intermodal transportation system for Metro Cebu, adding that they have reviewed the technical design requirements and conducted an actual corridor inspection of the proposed Cebu BRT project.
"DOTr commits to the Neda-ICC to fast-track the implementation of the CBRT, and that it will immediately engage the services of the Technical Support Consultant, which will assist in resolving critical services of the corridor, and in preparing a comprehensive catch-up plan to achieve the project's Phase 1 interoperability by June 2021," the agency said. (SunStar Philippines)