THE Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Cebu and Quezon City will push through, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Wednesday, September 19, despite its previous call to scrap the proposed transport system because of its supposed infrastructure limitations.
Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark De Leon said the government would pursue Cebu and Quezon Avenue BRTs, since assessment showed that transit system in the respective areas was feasible.
"The Bus Rapid Transit project of DOTr for Cebu and Quezon Avenue will push through," the Transportation official said in a weekly economic briefing.
"Nagkaroon kami ng inspection with World Bank team, and also joined by Neda (National Economic and Development Authority). And in-evaluate namin 'yung conditions ng corridor ng Cebu, and also Quezon Avenue. And we found out na posibleng mag-run pa 'yung BRT in these corridors," he added.
(We conducted an inspection, together with World Bank Team and Neda. We evaluated the conditions of the corridors of Cebu and Quezon Avenue, and we found out that BRT systems in these corridors are possible to run.)
The BRT project in Cebu, which has an estimated cost of P16 billion, is envisioned to be a 23-kilometer route (Bulacao-Ayala-Talamban) with segregated bus ways from Bulacao to Ayala (Cebu Business Park) and a link to Cebu's South Road Properties.
The proposed BRT-Line 1 in Metro Manila, which is worth P4.8 billion, will run from Quezon City Memorial Circle to Manila City Hall via Elliptical road, Quezon Avenue, and EspanaƱa Boulevard.
On the other hand, De Leon said the planned BRT-Line 2, which was supposed to cover 48.6-kilometer route along Edsa, is still undergoing evaluation.
For now, he said the DOTr already submitted a letter to the Department of Finance to express the intent to proceed with the BRT system in Cebu and Quezon Avenue.
"We have signed a letter for the DOF that we will push through with the program," he said.
"Detail engineering will proceed this year. So magkakaroon lang 'yun ng (there will be) procurement stage. And in three years time, meron tayong (we already have) BRT," he added. (SunStar Philippines)