The proposed diversion road of the Department of Public Works and Highways at Barangay Guadalupe to Barangay Lahug in Cebu City. | Photo courtesy of Councilor Jerry Guardo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has finished the feasibility study of a 4-lane diversion road proposed to link Barangays Guadalupe and Lahug in Cebu City.
Councilor Jerry Guardo, council’s committee chairman for infrastructure, presented the proposal on Thursday, November 14, 2019, for the planned diversion road.
Guardo said the estimated P2.4 billion worth of road was necessary to divert the traffic along M. Velez Street and Escario Street to higher grounds.
The diversion road will pass from the Guadalupe Barangay Hall, then across the Guadalupe River and the Lahug River, and will exit at the Lahug Elementary School.
A short underpass will also be constructed in an intersection in Barangay Lahug in order to connect the final portion of the diversion road.
As of now, Guardo said the project was still in its early stages as the DPWH had yet to complete the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) that would identify the actual cost of the project and the number of structures that would be affected.
It may take at least two years before construction can begin as the acquisition of the Road Right of Way (RROW) may take a long time especially that many structures are estimated to affected.
“Importante kaayo unta nga masugdan ni kay ang traffic diri sa uptown, labi na Capitol, mahuwasan. Dili na moagi sa Escario (Street) ang mga gikan sa Lahug padung sa Guadalupe and vice versa,” said Guardo.
(It is important that the project will be started so that traffic in the uptown area, especially at the Capitol, will be lessened. Those coming from Barangay Lahug will no longer pass through Escario Street to reach Barangay Guadalupe and vice versa.)
Guardo said that the construction of the diversion road could be a good solution to alleviate the traffic in the uptown area./dbs