One lane of UN Ave. in Mandaue closed to traffic starting Aug. 20

CEBU, Philippines - Starting Monday, one lane of U.N. Ave. in Mandaue City going to Lapu-Lapu City, particularly the 973.5-meter approach to Marcelo Fernan Bridge will be closed to traffic to give way to the implementation of a P28M road rehabilitation project by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The project awarded to P.B. Obial Construction was supposed to start August 8, but was reset to August 20 upon the recommendation of Mandaue City Mayor Cortes to give ample time for the public to know.

The original plan was to close one side of the approach but Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional director Ador Canlas acceded to the request of Cortes that one lane be left for motorists.

The project was funded out of the P156M flyover project along Ouano Ave. but was canceled and the budget realigned.

“We are going to hasten the completion of the project ahead of schedule probably by December,” said Engr. Rachel Lumapas of DPWH in-charge of the project during the press conference yesterday.

According to Lumapas, they have informed already the local government units of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu including the provincial government and have conducted coordination meetings to mitigate the inconvenience to the public.

Mandaue City Planning Officer Acht. Florentino Nimor Jr. for his part expressed confidence that with the administration of new DPWH regional director Ador Canlas, there will be close coordination starting in the planning stage.

Ret. Maj. Edwin Ermac, operations chief of Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) said that to mitigate the impact on traffic, he will assign traffic enforcers in the area during working hours and will declare the area a “no stopping zone.”

Earlier, Mayor Cortes, during the Regional Development Council (RDC) execom meeting chided DPWH officials for not coordinating with them in the implementation of their projects causing waste of resources and people’s money.

Canlas, in response, immediately instructed his planning officer to closely coordinate with his counterpart in Mandaue City. – (FREEMAN)