PUVs plying Osmeña Blvd to be rerouted

CEBU, Philippines — Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) plying Osmeña Boulevard may be rerouted soon as the Link to the Port feature of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project is expected to start construction.

This is according to Atty. Kent Jongoy, CCTO assistant head in an interview yesterday, Jan. 25, 2024, with the media.

Jongoy said the Link to the Port feature will be from the intersection of Sanciangko St, to a portion of Osmeña Boulevard, until the intersection of MJ Cuenco, which will be facing the frontage of Plaza Independencia.

The said feature is expected to decrease the current road width of Osmeña Boulevard, but will extend the sidewalk further by at least three to four meters.

With this, Jongoy said it will hopefully encourage people to walk around the area, which shows the heritage district of Cebu highlighting the culture and historical significance of Cebu City.

Further, Jongoy said that the PUVs plying the said area will have to be rerouted and diverted. Currently, Jongoy said they are focusing on settling down the traffic.

“It will probably decrease the width of our road but we are now thinking to divert many of our PUJs plying in that ground, specifically in that portion of Osmeña Boulevard,” said Jongoy.

“Slowly but surely, we will transfer the routes within the next few months, we will be gathering all the operators and stakeholders in the area especially our PUJs, our cooperative and operators in order to give them our proposal with the diversion routes,” added Jongoy.

He stressed that it is vital to speak with PUV operators first as the project will greatly affect them considering that it’s been a long time since they’ve been plying the said route.

Jongoy, however, assured that they will be providing alternative routes that are parallel to Osmeña Boulevard.

He explained that with Osmeña Boulevard being the main artery that connects the areas of Cebu City, there are parallel routes on the sides and reiterated his assurance that diversion routes for the PUVs will still be in place.

He added that there are routes even in the frontage of business establishments.

“We are now in the works of clearing them from sidewalk obstructions, there will be a move to takeaway to street pay parking the area so that we can also give the sufficient road width capacity,” said Jongoy. — (FREEMAN)