Two skywalks will be demolished near Fuente Osmeña in Cebu City to give way for the construction of phase one of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project. | CDN Digital File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has already approved the council resolution interposing no objection to the plan of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) management to demolish two skywalks in the city to pave the way for the construction of the phase one of the project.
The council was apprised of this development during its regular session last week.
Majority Floor Leader Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera sponsored the resolution on behalf of the council’s decision to support the CBRT management’s plan to demolish the skywalk located along Osmeña Boulevard, specifically near the Fuente Osmeña Circle and near the Cebu Normal University (CNU), upon the request of CBRT-PIU project manager Norvin Imbong.
READ: Skywalks near Fuente Osmeña Circle and CNU sought to be demolished
Contractor’s scope of work
Imbong said the demolition of the skywalk would be part of the CBRT contractor’s scope of work, and it would be the contractor who would demolish the two infrastructure.
He said, as of now, they were still waiting for the approval of the methodology of the demolition to be approved by their construction supervision consultant.
“Sa part sa contractor, giplano pa. Nangayo pa mi’g methodology kung unsaon nila pagkuan. Unsaon nila pagguba, kung unsay unahon, unsay isunod,” Imbong told CDN Digital.
(On the part of the contractor, they are still planning it. We are still asking for methodology on how to do this. How to destroy it, what will we do first and do next.)
Imbong, however, assured pedestrians that they would provide an “at grade” crossing on these areas to replace the skywalks.
Why 2 skywalks will have to go
Imbong, in his letter to the council, explained that the height of the skywalk (5.4 meters) may conflict with the BRT Bus Station which has a height of 5.2 meters.
“The said skywalks/footbridges are utilized by pedestrians for crossing/accessing the other side of the road/sidewalk; however, it quite prohibits and limits the same access for the physically disabled, senior citizens, and pregnant women,” he said.
He added that the existing skywalks would also frequently be occupied by street mendicants which would pose risks to the safety and security of pedestrians.
The existing structural columns in the middle of the skywalks also obstruct the median dedicated lanes where the BRT buses will traverse.
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