Tabunok Flyover (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced that he has no objection to the request of the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) management to allow its buses to use the South Road Properties while the Tabunok flyover is closed starting on March 18 until May 5 for maintenance works.
“For me, Tabunok or no Tabunok, the South Coastal Road is for the people. It is not for the rich,” he said.
He said the buses could “all the time” use the road.
The mayor said he is willing to open the road for buses.
The buses from the south going to Cebu City must turn right to SRP before reaching the Tabunok flyover.
Osmeña said if he had to choose, he would allow buses and jeepneys to pass through the SRP instead of private vehicles.
“I am not stopping anyone. That is forever. No prohibition. That is the intention of the South Coastal Road ever since I planned SRP when I first became a mayor,” he said.
He added that if the city did not have SRP, the traffic in Banilad and Mandaue City will be three times heavier.
Osmeña said if the temporary scheme will create congestion, he said he will ban private cars from entering the road.
“Once the people will say there is too much traffic, then I will ask for it (banning of private cars),” he said.