CITOM endorses bus route for SRP

CEBU, Philippines - Public buses are expected to pass through the South Road Properties (SRP) anytime soon after the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) has approved the proposal of the SM Mall Management to have development routes in the area before the SM Seaside City Complex opens.

Rafael Yap, CITOM executive director, said that he already forwarded his endorsement to Councilor Richard Osmeña, committee on traffic management chairman, for approval.

SM City Cebu Mall Manager Sherry Tuvilla has proposed to have two routes: One from Talisay passing through SRP then to Mambaling and vice versa. The other one is from Talisay passing through SRP to downtown Cebu City, SM City Cebu then to the North Bus Terminal and vice versa. SM management requested for the routes to serve their customers.

Atty. Jose Marie Poblete, who heads the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, said that considering the traffic situation along the Mambaling highway, turnarounds cannot be done at the nearby Mambaling Plaza and at the proposed BRT stations near Mambaling Elementary School and Shopwise.

SM would have to choose between two options: Have the buses use the area where the Jai-alai Building is for the buses' turn around or have the buses turn right at R. Padilla St. then turn left to N. Bacalso Ave.

If SM chooses the latter, they may have to send another request since R. Padilla does not belong to Barangay Mambaling. PUJs are not allowed in the SRP because it needs high quality transport service. Furthermore, it is recommended that public transport vehicles entering the SRP should be BRT ready.

The Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board will issue franchises to the bus liners for the new routes.

SM Seaside City Complex will be one of the biggest malls in the country. It will be a four-level, circular shaped, world-class retail mall with multiple anchors. It could accommodate up to 800 food and retail shops. It is set to open by 2014.--/FPL/ (FREEMAN)