The Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) system will be partially operational by the end of this year and fully operational in early 2023, according to Assistant Secretary Anthony Gerard ‘Jonji’ Gonzales of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas during the recent Cabinet Report program.

Despite the pandemic, the Department of Transportation targets partial operation of the CBRT project by December 2021 and fully operation by 2023, said Gonzales.

“The next big step for Cebu BRT is land acquisition and bidding,” he said.

Updates

CBRT Package 1

• CBRT Package 1 comprises four bus stations from the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) up to the Capitol area, along the Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City.

• It is around 2.38 kilometers of dedicated bus lane from CSBT to the Capitol area.

• On Feb. 8, CBRT Package 1 reached the publication and bidding stage.

• Package 1 is scheduled for completion by December this year.

• The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is in charge of the expansion of the national road while the concerned local government unit will be responsible for local roads.

CBRT Package 2 and 3

• These involve the establishment of trunk service from SRP to CSBT via Natalio Bacalso Avenue and from Capitol to IT Park with terminals at SRP and IT Park.

• There is ongoing finalization of parcillary mapping for the detailed engineering design for Package 2, which will cover 10.8 kilometers.

• Gonzales said there are delays in consultancy and the parcillary mapping “because the team could not optimally go to the ground due to the pandemic.”

According to Gonzales, Packages 1, 2, and 3 will form Phase 1 of the CBRT while for Phase 2, the plan is to convert feeder to trunk service.

Upon completion

What the public can expect upon the completion of the CBRT project:

• 250 buses with at least 21 stations

• 60,000 passengers a day

• 23 kilometers long, from Bulacao to Talamban, including the South Road Properties

• operation along both a dedicated transitway and in mixed traffic segment

The project is being supported by the Cebu City Government, the Cebu Provincial Government, and Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Dino.

The CBRT project is a component of the planned Metro Cebu Integrated Inter-modal Transportation System or (MCIITS) that seeks to integrate a monorail system, a cable car system, and BRT to provide efficient public land transportation.

“The MCIITS will answer the problem of traffic congestion in Metro Cebu,” said Gonzales.

Aside from the CBRT system, there will be several components, such as monorail and ferry boat services from Carcar City to Danao City as well as cable car from Lahug area to Busay, Cebu City. (NRC/With PR)