MOTORISTS who regularly use the Cebu South Coastal Road are advised to brace for traffic.
The Department of Public Works and Highways will temporarily close one of two bridges on the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) in Talisay City for rehabilitation and repairs, starting in the last week of the month.
Engr. Leslie Anthony Molina, DPWH 2nd Engineering District head, reminded the public that they will start the rehabilitation of the northbound lane of the Mananga Bridge 3 in Barangay Lawaan 2, probably on April 27.
But Molina said he wants to consult the Talisay City Government on their traffic plans, before they start to implement the project.
While the rehabilitation project has a timetable of 140 days, Molina said they are targeting to finish in less than 70 days or at least before the new school year starts in June.
“Paningkamoton gyud namo nga mahuman ta by May. Dili unta nato dugayon kay hapit na baya ang tingklase (We’ll do our best to finish by May. We won’t delay because the start of the new school year is approaching fast),” Molina told reporters.
In a press conference, Molina said all of their materials arrived from South Korea earlier this month.
Limited hours
This will serve as the second part of repairs on the Mananga 3 Bridge, with the first one initiated last year.
DPWH wants full closure of the northbound lane of the bridge to ensure that their work will remain undisturbed.
Molina said once the northbound lane of the bridge is closed, they can resort to a scheme to ensure that traffic on the CSCR will flow unhampered.
Part of their scheme includes opening the southbound lane of the bridge to two-way traffic at 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
A diversion road will also be placed on Rabaya St. in Talisay City which will exit toward Barangay Tabunok in the same city.
Traffic scheme a must
But Molina admitted they need to consult the City of Talisay Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA) before implementing the scheme.
For his part, Cebu Provincial focal person for traffic management Jonathan Tumulak said that his office was willing to assist the DPWH in ensuring that traffic remains smooth while the bridge is rehabilitated.
Tumulak said they are also identifying areas in Talisay City that could serve as temporary diversion routes to help decongest traffic on the CSCR during peak hours.
This includes a barangay access road that crosses toward Barangays Mohon, Lawaan 2 and Linao.
Julieto Flores, president of the Cebu Provincial Bus and Minibus Operators Cooperative, urged the DPWH to hire a towing firm to remove vehicles that might conk out on the CSCR in the middle of traffic.
Flores said a towing truck could help ensure that traffic remains smooth on the affected highway, despite breakdowns or accidents.
The rehabilitation and repair of the northbound side of the Mananga 3 bridge will cost around P29 million and has been awarded to PLD Construction Corp.
Last year, the DPWH Second Engineering District also initiated a similar program on the southbound lane of the Mananga Bridge.