Bridge board eyes budget for flyovers

CEBU, Philippines - The Metro Cebu Bridge Management Board hopes that an allocation for the construction of two flyovers in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu will be included in next year's annual budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, chairman of the MCBMB in a meeting held in Lapu-Lapu, said that to solve vehicular traffic at the foot of the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge in Lapu-Lapu as well as in Mandaue City is to build fly-overs.

According to Governor Garcia, the Regional Development Council-7 has approved a resolution endorsing the project to the central office of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Lapu-Lapu City Traffic Management System chief Frank Brazil said that sometime in 2005, the building of a flyover was recommended to the Metro Cebu Bridge Management Board, with a budget of P110 million.

A fly-over at the foot of the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge would cut the distance for motorists going to barangay Poblacion where the public market is.

Travel time for jeepneys and multicabs going to Phase 2 of the Mactan Export Processing Zone could be reduced.

DPWH has included its Annual Investment Plan in the proposal and a budget allocation of P300 million to finance the construction of the flyover.

The second fly-over will be put up at Plaridel Street near the Mandaue City Hospital where a bottleneck is created by vehicles coming from Cebu City and those coming from northern Cebu and Lapu-Lapu City.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said the fly-over would also be serve as entrance to the new city public market. (THE FREEMAN)