West-bound lane of the CCLEX in Cebu City. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Another skyway or expressway is currently in the planning stages in a bid to ease traffic in Cebu City.
This comes after a city councilor filed a resolution requesting its feasibility in the city.
Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon, the former chief of the Traffic Management Committee (TMC), penned the proposed resolution, which was filed on December 29.
“I believe this is now the call of the times,” Gealon told CDN Digital on Friday, December 29.
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According to the resolution, a skyway or expressway is a “major arterial divided highway” that features two or more traffic lanes in each direction, with opposing traffic separated by median stripes.
These additional arterial roads could eliminate grade crossings, control entries and exits, and also advance design by eliminating steep grades, sharp curves, and other hazards and inconveniences to driving.
“Day by day, more vehicles are using our narrow roads. Additional roads may help if we can’t widen the already existing ones,” Gealon noted.
However, Gealon acknowledged in the resolution the need to conduct a study on its feasibility to determine the possibility of creating a skyway or expressway to alleviate traffic conditions in Cebu City.
Moreover, the resolution further stated that with worsening traffic conditions, an expressway would be “beneficial” to the commuting public, as its advantages include lower vehicle operating costs, comfort and convenience for motorists, and greater safety.
With this, the councilor requested that the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) Planning Section and the Metro Pacific Investments Corporations (MPIC) to conduct a study on the feasibility of a skyway or expressway in Cebu City, indicating their locations, and submit a detailed report and recommendations.
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