PUVs can use Capitol access road

CEBU, Philippines - The Capitol has allowed the use of its compound as diversion route for vehicular traffic from Escario Street to M. Velez Street to give way to a road concreting project.

The Governor M. Roxas Street or the access road traversing the Capitol compound will be opened from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. starting on Monday. 

Public vehicles from Escario Street going to M. Velez can use the access road by turning right passing through the road between the Palace of Justice and the Capitol Legislative Building.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, City Traffic Operations Management head Rafael Christopher Yap, and Cebu City Engineering District Fernando Cruz of the Department of Public Works and Highways-7, however, agreed to certain conditions in opening the road for public vehicles.

Under the conditions, it will be a one-way traffic, no loading and unloading of passengers inside the Capitol compound, no blowing of horns, and 15 kph speed limit should be observed.

CITOM personnel and police officers will be deployed to man the area.

“We will see to it that proper security measures will be extended, of course, with the assistance of local police and CITOM,” said Cruz.

Yap and Cruz were invited yesterday during the regular session of the Provincial Board. They were asked to hold a dry run before its formal implementation.

Cruz said the closure of the area affected by the project, as well as the opening of the access road in the Capitol compound, is scheduled on Monday. The project is expected to be finished within 21 days.

“If it will be in accordance to our plan, we’ll try to start it on Monday… We have to complete the project in a short period of time to bring basic services to the people and in order to get away from the inconveniences suffered by our people due to traffic jam,” Cruz said, adding that public notice would also be posted soon.

In 2011, the Capitol access road was also utilized during the road-widening project of the DPWH and the Cebu City District Engineering Office at Don Gil Garcia St.  (FREEMAN)