QC to construct underpass, more footbridges

The Quezon City government is fasttracking the construction of an underpass near the Quezon Memorial Circle and additional footbridges to ensure the safety of pedestrians and to ease traffic in key areas of the city.

An underpass from the City Hall complex to the Quezon Memorial Circle is being eyed to complement the Philcoa pedestrian overpass on Commonwealth Avenue.

At present, pedestrians have to be assisted by traffic enforcers to cross Elliptical Road from the area near the Philippine Coconut Authority building to the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has directed city engineering department, under officer-in-charge Engr. Joselito Cabungcal, to rush the construction to decongest traffic at the Philcoa area.

In a recent executive staff meeting at the NS Amoranto Bulwagan, Belmonte also disclosed that the city government is putting up two footbridges along Commonwealth Avenue — one near the Eastwood area and another in front of the Ateneo de Manila University.

He said the Eastwood pedestrian overpass will be undertaken by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, while the Ateneo overpass will be undertaken by the city government.

Cabungcal reported that the Philcoa overpass will be operational by July 1 while excavation for the construction of the Ateneo footbridge along Katipunan Avenue is now underway.

Cabungcal said the Philcoa pedestrian overpass and the proposed underpass leading to the Quezon Memorial Circle on Elliptical Road from City Hall are part of the city government’s plans to ensure the safety of commuters and pedestrians crossing the street.

Belmonte said that once completed, the entire pedestrian access scheme will complement both the City Hall complex and the Quezon City Memorial Circle.