7 major city roads to be widened

CEBU, Philippines - At least seven more roads in Cebu City’s North District will be widened to address the traffic congestion in this part of the city.

Representative Raul del Mar said major roads like the Archbishop Reyes Avenue, N.G Escario Extension, M. Velez Street, Governor Cuenco Avenue, F. Sotto Drive, M.J. Cuenco Avenue and D. Jakosalem Street will also be widened.

The projects will be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways and is expected to cost the national government over P1 billion.

“These projects are already implemented, meaning, there are ongoing negotiations though actual works are yet to commence,” Del Mar said.

These road rehabilitation projects are in consonance with the current widening of the Banilad-Talamban corridor, which stretches 1.6 kilometers from the Mahiga Bridge to Cabancalan Street.

The P289.5 million rehabilitation project of S. Osmeña Boulevard has also been in implementation since March this year. The project covers 2.503 kilometers of S. Osmeña Boulevard, from the bridge near the Cebu International Port that connects Cebu City to Mandaue City, to Palma Street, near the subway across Plaza Independencia.

“Now we are seeing the light knowing that people are starting to cooperate. Residents relent and eventually agree on widening that would help address traffic problem in the city,” Del Mar said.

 Del Mar said he does not want the projects to be implemented abruptly because he want them to “evolve for people to see the importance of widened thoroughfares.”

 Del Mar said he will be pursuing with the flyover project in F. Sotto to Archbishop Reyes, which was his original recommendation until discarded by the national government.

 “We will promote flyover along that alignment. (The) Gorordo was chosen over that because of the narrow road of F. Sotto. When we are going to widen it like Archbishop Reyes, then my original recommendation will naturally follow and be pursued,” he explained.

Furthermore, Del Mar disclosed that he has re-filed the bill passed by his daughter, former Cebu Representative Rachel Marguerite del Mar, which sought to convert the city road in Pit-os into a national road to allocate funds for widening.

 A certificate of road-right-of-way (RROW) is needed for widening.

 “That’s why we are converting it (to a national road) so that RROW will be provided by the national government including the construction since the acquisition of lot is being integrated in the widening. If we have money for RROW we don’t need to convert that road,” he said. (FREEMAN)