Quisumbing proposes traffic measures for tri-level pass project

MANDAUE City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing said the city has already started preparing traffic mitigation measures for the expected P1 billion tri-level pass project in the city.

Among the measures eyed by the city is the operation of barge and Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) ships from Mandaue City to Mactan Island, temporary operation of water taxi services, and opening of new roads, among others.

“These are all options that we have thought about; we’ve already done the preliminary work. But then, now that this project looks like it finally will proceed, then we can take more concrete steps towards realization,” he said in a press conference yesterday afternoon.

He said the city will be opening new roads in Barangay Umapad and that the city has already started developing these roads.

As to the operation of barge and Ro-Ro ships, Quisumbing said they have already started taking with “very well-known shipping companies” that can possibly provide these services.

“(They’re) very interested. And it can be something that they may be interested in long term as well,” he said. The mayor said though that in order to implement these measures, the city and the private companies involved will need to seek approvals and permits from the different national government agencies as well as the local government units of Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

Quisumbing said he will reach out to these national government agencies to discuss their proposed traffic mitigation measures.

It was earlier reported that Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar has already signed the terms of reference for the tri-level pass project, which will have a tunnel, a flyover and a road along the United Nations Avenue and DM Cortes St., last March.

The bidding for the project is expected to be done in June or July this year. On the other hand, implementation of the project will take more than one year to two years.