2 skywalks along Osmeña Blvd won’t be moved but demolished – CBRT exec

Traffic along Osmeña Blvd will be rerouted starting Dec. 8 -- CCTO chief

One of the skywalks along Osmeña Boulevard via Google Maps

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The 2 skywalks along Osmeña Boulevard will not be relocated but demolished, the project manager of the Cebu City Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) confirmed on Monday, December 4.

The clearing operation is set for December 8, which is chosen to coincide with a special non-working holiday, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

READ: Road closures to be imposed for removal of skywalks along Osmeña Blvd

Engineer Norvin Imbong, CBRT project manager, said that the project’s compliance with Mayor Michael Rama’s directive to remove structures before his return from Australia on December 20.

READ: Rama okays council resolution on demolishing 2 skywalks for BRT construction

The demolition is projected to take 10 to 15 days, with efforts to expedite the process to five to seven days to mitigate traffic congestion.

Previously, Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, head of the infrastructure committee, mentioned that during the removal, efforts would be made to preserve the long beams or pathways for potential reuse.

This was after Mayor Michael Rama ordered the transfer of the skywalks to the South Road Properties (SRP) due to the ongoing BRT construction.

READ: Two skywalks along Osmeña Blvd to be transferred to SRP

However, Imbong said that it would be difficult to repurpose the long beams, stating uncertainty about their usability and structural integrity.

“Dili man gud ta makahibawo if dili na magamit or weak na so naghisgot na lang og replacement cost diri,” Imbong said.

(We don’t know if they can be used or they are already weak so we talked about replacement cost here.)

The demolition task will be carried out by Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Ltd, the contractor of the project.

Moreover, in response to the allocated demolition days, Raquel Arce, the head of the City Transportation Office, emphasized the preference for a quicker process, stating, “The shorter, the better.”

Rerouting scheme to be implemented

Arce assured that the entire stretch of Osmeña Blvd. would not be simultaneously closed to vehicular traffic during the demolition.

Traffic will be rerouted, she said.

The rerouting of vehicles will be implemented starting December 8.

For motorists traveling from Fuente Osmeña Circle to downtown, the detour involves turning right at R.R. Landon St. and then right at Junquera St. Meanwhile, vehicles from downtown and N. Bacalso Ave. bound for Fuente Osmeña Circle will make a left turn at Don Pedro Cui from P. del Rosario St., followed by a right turn at R.R. Landon and a left turn at D. Jakosalem before reaching F. Ramos St.

During the demolition of the skywalk in front of the DOH 7 office, vehicles heading uptown will be redirected to Arlington Pond St., exiting F. Ramos St., and vice versa.

Meanwhile, the CBRT project manager confirmed that CBRT Phase 1 was nearing completion, with dedicated lanes at 82 percent completion and drainage at 20 percent.

Imbong assured that efforts would be focused on finalizing the dedicated lanes and enabling bus operations, with minor sidewalk works remaining.

READ: 71 flagship infra projects underway — Neda