Cebu BRT pilot run starts in September

MANILA, Philippines —  More than 70,000 commuters in Cebu are expected to benefit once the bus rapid transit (BRT) in the province operates in September, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon yesterday said the Cebu BRT is scheduled to start its pilot run in September as part of efforts to expand mass transit in the province.

Dizon said at least three stations of the Cebu BRT would be up and running by then, expanding the transport options that Cebuanos can avail themselves of when going around the metro.

“The Cebu BRT is an essential transport project for the people of Cebu. We are now speeding up the construction of the other stations so that the project covers more commuters,” Dizon said.

The first package of the Cebu BRT covers 2.38 kilometers from Cebu South Bus Terminal to the Cebu Provincial Capitol via Osmeña Highway. The segment costs over P900 million and was awarded to Chinese contractor Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Co. Ltd.

The contract requires the construction of a segregated bus lane along four stations in Cebu South Bus Terminal, Cebu Normal University, Fuente Circle and Cebu Provincial Capitol.

Dizon said the initial operations of the Cebu BRT would include the stations in Cebu South Bus Terminal, Cebu Normal University and Fuente Circle.

According to the transport chief, the construction of the station in Cebu Provincial Capitol has to wait as its design was changed from curbside configuration to a median structure.

Further, Dizon said the DOTr is working on the second and third sections of the Cebu BRT. He said the following phases, made up of 13 stations and 62 stops, would be finished before the end of the Marcos administration.

The P28-78-billion Cebu BRT is funded by a loan from the World Bank. The infrastructure is designed to span 35 kilometers, with 17 kilometers for trunk services and 18 kilometers for feeder lines.

It will feature 22 stations, 62 stops, four terminals and a depot, allowing it to move 144 buses by 2038.

The DOTr estimates that ridership in the Cebu BRT would go up to 164,000 daily once it is fully operational.