Road widening begins: U.N. Ave underpass a ‘go’ - DPWH

CEBU, Philippines — The depressed structure or underpass along U.N. Avenue in Mandaue City will push through as construction is expected to start by next month.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said the road widening is now ongoing.

"The project has a road widening component and we are now widening the roads para walang lane na mawawala. Madadagdagan lang yung lanes," Villar said.

He was in Cebu the other day to grace the inauguration of the Mactan Cebu International Airport's Terminal 2.

It can be recalled that the Regional Development Council-7 wanted to stop the implementation of the project, saying it wants multi-billion projects in Metro Cebu be done in sequence in order not to further exacerbate the worsening traffic situation here.

Glenn Soco, chairman of the Infrastructure Development Committee of RDC-7, earlier cited the ongoing U.N. Avenue depressed structure project in Mandaue City, which he said does not even have a Traffic Management Plan.

He said the plan is essential once the civil works commence since this project will affect the traffic situation not only in Mandaue, but Lapu-Lapu City, as well, where the airport is situated and in other neighboring towns and cities.

When asked for the possibility that the project will be shelved, Villar said, "Hindi. May budget na yan. Sayang naman kung hindi ituloy."

Villar said they are now finalizing the Traffic Management Plan.

"We will start the construction by next month. Lahat naman ng mga stakeholders are okay with this project," Villar added.

Early on, DPWH-7 assured that the implementation of the depressed structure will not commence unless all issues are addressed and all design requirements are reviewed, deliberated, and approved.

DPWH-7 Director Ador Canlas said in a statement that the depressed structure, which is part of the tri-level improvement at U.N. Avenue and Plaridel Road, was among the components of the study that supported the Cebu North Coastal Road Project originally proposed under JBIC Arterial Road Phase VI in 2004.

Canlas  said the project is on the design stage and activities under this stage includes topographic, parcellary and soil exploration surveys, preparation of plans and specifications and acquisition of right of way including preparation of traffic management.

"Marami naman tayong ginawa to improve traffic in Cebu. Mag-invest talaga tayo sa decongestion," he said.

The secretary said that the Fourth Bridge feasibility study by JAICA is now ongoing.

"Yung Fourth Bridge, ginagawa na ang feasibility study ginagawa na ng JAICA then pagkatapos na nun, hihingi kami ng approval ng NEDA tapos pag na-approve na, pwede nang i- implement, maybe by next year," Villar said.

He said the project will be foreign funded through the Official Development Assistance.

Viaduct

Meanwhile, the viaduct of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge heading left (bound to the airport) will be closed starting August 8 to 17 due to preventive maintenance operations.

From asphalt, the 45-meter viaduct road will be concreted to make it more durable, the DPWH said.

The P20 million project was presented yesterday during the meeting of the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB).

Chief Engineer for Maintenance Eda De Guzman of the Sixth District said the viaduct needs to be rehabilitated due to the "stress" it is under from daily use.

Aside from concreting, the project has other components such as the retrofitting of the bridge structure underneath, repair of sidewalks, and installation of solar-type studs on the main road of the bridge like in the ones on General Maxilom Avenue in Cebu City.

All measures will be simultaneously taken to meet the 240 working days for the entire project. The retrofitting efforts have started last December 2017.

The construction will be 24/7 as well as the traffic scheme which will be implemented starting August 8.

During the closure of the viaduct, a traffic scheme similar to that in 2014 will be enforced.

All traffic heading to Lapu-Lapu City will have to exit through the rightmost viaduct since the one leading straight to the airport will be closed. Moreover, all trucks and other slow moving vehicles are reminded to take the outer lanes.

Focal Person for Traffic Management in Cebu Province, Jonathan "Joy" Tumulak, reminded DPWH-7 to coordinate with both the local government units of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.

In an unrelated development, rehabilitation of Mananga 3 commenced last night. A zipperlane scheme has been implemented and will last for one month.

The said bridge has a total of six lanes. One of the three northbound lanes which were finished earlier this month will be used to cater to southbound traffic.

Two of the three southbound lanes are the ones that will be asphalted anew and on which new expansion joints will be installed.

The remaining lane will also be used for southbound traffic.

Overall, two lanes will be dedicated for those who are heading to Cebu City while the other two operational lanes will be used by those who are heading to the southern part of the island.

Tumulak said the contractor, Quirante Construction, will work 24/7 to speed up the project. — JMO (FREEMAN)