THE proposed Cebu expressway that will go from Carcar City in the south to Danao City in the north could be implemented if President Rodrigo Duterte will be given emergency powers, an official said yesterday.
If the proposed Traffic Crisis Act of 2016 is passed, the P26-billion Carcar-Danao circumferential road may be implemented to help solve the traffic problem in Metro Cebu, said Engr. Fortunato Sanchez, subcommittee chairman on infrastructure and utilities of the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board-Research, Program and Organizational Development (MCDCB-RPOD).
But Sanchez said that since the proposed project is still in the survey stage, he recommended to the MCDCB to implement major traffic reduction projects worth P15 billion that already have existing studies.
Concept stage
During the 4th MCDCB Quarterly meeting in Carcar City, Sanchez explained that as of yesterday, the proposed Carcar-Danao circumferential road is still within the conceptual stage with two parties conducting road studies.
Two groups, CEDCO Inc. and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), have already provided studies on its viability.
But Sanchez admitted that while the construction phase is easy, acquisition of the road-right-of-way (RROW) for the project will be a difficult task.
Sanchez proposed to the MCDCB that while awaiting more updates on the proposed circumferential road, the board could focus on other projects such as the P5-billion circumferential road from the City of Naga to Lahug in Cebu City.
Leftover projects
Aside from the proposed circumferential road from Naga to Lahug, there are also 14 to 18 leftover projects that were proposed by Metro Cebu Land Use and Transportation Study (MCLUTS), among others.
Sanchez said that the P15 billion worth of projects, which already have existing studies, can be proposed under the draft Traffic Crisis Act of 2016 or through the General Appropriations Act.