THE fate of the five road improvement projects proposed by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña now lies in the hands of the Planning Division of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) central office in Manila.
DPWH – 7 Regional Director Ador Canlas told Cebu Daily News that they received Osmeña’s request yesterday afternoon, and will forward it to the national office which is authorized to conduct further studies.
Results of the study will determine the design, budget needed and other information about the projects, Canlas said.
Osmeña announced on his Facebook page yesterday that he sent a letter of request, dated February 21, to DPWH–7 to improve several roads in Cebu City as a means of reducing traffic congestion.
He added that the total cost of the five projects is estimated at P2 billion, and that he opted to ask for funding from the national government to ensure that the city will remain financially capable of delivering basic services.
“Soon, we will also secure funding that will allow us to fix all the roads that need fixing. This is what you hired me for, and this is why I can deliver. I can do what very few mayors can do,” Osmeña added.
These include improving the intersections of the Mambaling Access Road and the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR); Salinas Drive, Gorordo Avenue, and Veterans Drive in Brgy. Lahug; and Sergio Osmeña Boulevard and V. Sotto Street.
“No longer will we need to implement the no left turn policy from the Mambaling Access Road to the South Coastal Road to prevent collisions. Soon, there will be a proper merging underpass so you can safely make a turn without crossing oncoming traffic,” Osmeña said on his post.
The mayor also planned to widen the existing six-lane CSCR and Sergio Osmeña Boulevard into eight lanes, both of which, he revealed, have been the subject of the Feasibility and Business Case Studies for the CSCR – Cebu Circumferential Road and Lateral Arterial Roads by the CEDCO Engineers, a private consultant, in 2015.
But Canlas said that the proposed study on widening two of Cebu City’s major expressways may have to be revised if state engineers find the need to update their findings and recommendations.
“It is also up to the central office to assess whether it needs to be updated or not, considering that it was conducted a few years back,” added Canlas.
The CSCR connects Talisay City and Cebu City through the South Road Properties (SRP) while Sergio Osmeña Boulevard connects Cebu City and Mandaue City through the North Reclamation Area (NRA).
Both roads serve as a vital thoroughfare since it can accommodate heavy vehicles such as trucks in transporting goods and supplies delivered from the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) and the Cebu International Pier (CIP) to any part in Cebu province.