The Department of Public Works and Highways is currently working on the drainage improvement of Pope John Paul II Ave. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has asked for a temporary stop during the Christmas season up to Fiesta Señor.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
MOTORISTS plying through the uptown barangays of Lahug, Apas, Mabolo, Luz, and Kasambagan in Cebu City can expect a slight improvement in traffic flow along Pope John Paul II Ave.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña called for a moratorium that will temporarily stop work on the drainage improvement project covering Pope John Paul II Avenue in Barangays Mabolo and Luz and Salinas Drive in Barangay Apas being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7).
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) operations officer Francisco Ouano said once the moratorium takes effect on December 15, both lanes of Pope John Paul II Avenue will be opened for traffic.
Ouano said that presently, only one lane of Pope John Paul II Avenue (formerly known as Juan Luna Avenue), is passable to traffic to give way to the flood control project.
“Both lanes of Pope John Paul II Avenue will be opened to traffic this December 15. So, we can expect improvement in the traffic condition in the area surrounding the road,” he added.
The mayor announced last Thursday on his Facebook page that the moratorium on road infrastructure projects being done in Cebu City would include the drainage improvement in Pope John Paul II Avenue.
“FYI (For your information), the city’s moratorium only applies to Christmas and Sinulog so we are asking DPWH to resume operations right after the Fiesta Señor,” Osmeña added.
It was earlier exempted, together with the P638-million Mambaling underpass in N. Bacalso Avenue, since it was considered a critical project.
The mayor said his decision was based on the text messages he received from drivers and commuters, complaining about the traffic congestion in the areas around Pope John Paul II Avenue.
The mayor attached to his post DPWH documents which showed that the contractor, Pragmatic Development and Construction, aimed for a 50 percent completion of the project this December.
Its target date of completion is July 2019.