The northbound lane of N. Bacalso Avenue, fronting Shopwise, will be closed to vehicular traffic starting on Tuesday to give way to the underpass construction project.
/CDN graphics
The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) and the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) has agreed to already start construction of the N. Bacalso Avenue underpass on August 8.
But project implementation will already start at the northbound lane of N. Bacalso Avenue fronting Shopwise instead of the original plan which was the southbound lane of the highway near McDonalds.
DPWH project engineer Roy dela Cruz said they found during their inspection that the southbound lane has several underground pipelines from the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) that may be damaged if they start to dig there.
“To give enough time for MCWD to relocate their pipes or whatever it is that they will do about it, we decided to start on the other side, in front of Shopwise, since there are lesser pipelines there,” Dela Cruz told Cebu Daily News.
DPWH-7 is building a P683 million underpass project at along the intersection of N. Bacalso Avenue and F. Llamas Street to address congestion problems in Cebu City’s southern corridor.
Project implementation that will consist of six phases will take two years to complete. The first phase that will involve boring works for the establishment of the underpass’ retaining walls is scheduled for completion in two to three months.
With the project implementation, CCTO will have to divert vehicles headed to and coming from south Cebu to Tagunol, Ganciang, Gochan and Caimito Streets.
Francisco Ouano, CCTO’s operation head, said DPWH-7 will have to patch holes on the alternative roads before the underpass projects implementation starts on Tuesday.
DPWH-7 and CCTO officials are scheduled to inspect the alternative roads today to check on the progress of ongoing patching works.
“I was instructed by the mayor to let the (underpass) project start as soon as possible. But since there are still areas that need patching works, that’s why it was delayed. We in CCTO also want that this project to start already,” Ouano said.
During the inspection, Ouano said, they will also check if DPWH-7 already put up road signage to especially guide public utility vehicles where to pass, as agreed.
As of Thursday, Dela Cruz said, they already started repair of the badly damaged Tagunol Street. Next on their priority list is Ganciang St.
Alternative routes
When road diggings start on Tuesday, Ouano said northbound vehicles including those with route numbers 09C, 09F, 09G, 09H, 09J, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F and 10G will be directed to use the alternative routes.
Cebu City–bound PUJs with route number 10H, 10K and 10M plying N. Bacalso Ave. will be made to make a right turn to Katipunan St., left to F. Llamas St., right to E. Sabellano St., left to Macopa St., right to N. Bacalso Ave. and back to their usual routes.
PUJs with rout numbers 41D, 42 and 42D coming from the Taboan Public Market will be made to pass Lakandula St., right to C. Padilla St. until they reach Tagunol St. and Rizal Ave. Extension, right to A. Gabuya St., right to F. Jaca St., left to J. Tabura St. and left to N. Bacalso Ave.
Cebu City–bound PUJs with route numbers 44A and 44E will be diverted to J. Tabura St., right to E. Sabellano St., right to Bayanihan St. and right to N. Bacalso Ave.
Those with route numbers 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10H, 10K, and 10M will be made to pass F. Llamas St., right to Ganciang St. going to Ma. Gochan St., left to N. Bacalso Ave. and back to their original routes.
Buses, minibuses and trucks with six wheels or more will be made to use the South Coastal Road (SCR) at the South Road Properties (SRP) while private motorists will be given an option to decide which diversion road they will take.
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