Last February, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-7) Hybrid Electric Road Train or E-Train went on a road test around the North Reclamation Area (NRA) near the Cebu Daily News building in preparation for its operation to help decongest traffic in Cebu City.
CDN FILE PHOTO
THOUGH PARTLY FLOODED
THE floods experienced at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) last weekend have prompted the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-7) to seek a place where they can park the hybrid electric road trains that will soon be operational in Cebu City.
DOST-7 Director Edilberto Paradela said they will also check on the condition of these hybrid electric road trains parked at Block 27 at the NRA.
“Ang feedback dili man ingon nga gibahaan pag-ayo, naa lang portion (Our feedback was that only a portion of the trains was affected by the flood),” said Paradela, assuring that there were no major damages reported on the hybrid trains.
He added that security personnel were also assigned at Block 27 to guard the trains.
The DOST and the Cebu City government have agreed on a route for the hybrid trains, which will ply SM City Cebu to Plaza Independencia.
According to DOST’s Facebook page, the trains’ route would be “SM City to Plaza Independencia and Vice Versa from Cabahug Street (near Natasha), right to Serging Osmeña Ave., straight then left on Legaspi Extension, left on C. Arellano Blvd.; left to Sulpicio-Go Street; right to Urot Street then to Cabahug Street.”
There were concerns on other motorists who would cut through the trains’ direction, posing danger to commuters.
“Magproblema ta sa mga motorists especially kanang mga motorcycle and taxi kay moliko mi, unhan mi, mahadlok mi og disgrasya (Motorists could be a problem especially motorcycles and taxis because if we make a turn, they would overtake and cut our direction. We are afraid of accidents),” he added.
The 40-meter hybrid electric road trains, which arrived in Cebu City in December 2016, are meant to address the need for a mass transportation system in Cebu to solve the city’s traffic problems.
Each unit can accommodate up to 240 passengers.