Explore Talamban-Mandaue route for BRT

CEBU, Philippines -  The Cebu City Council has requested the Department of Transportation and Communications to include in its route expansion study for the Bus Rapid Transit project the Talamban to Mandaue path through the Canduman road in Mandaue City.

In an approved resolution, City Councilor Alvin Arcilla said that the BRT would be an efficient mass transport system to address the worsening traffic congestion in the said places.

The original design of the BRT will pass four intersections: Osmeña Boulevard/Colon Street, V. Rama Avenue/M. Velez Street, M.J. Cuenco Avenue/J. Luna Avenue; and Gorordo Avenue/Salinas Drive.

Pocket lanes will be built in different locations in the city.

Arcilla has also requested DOTC to include in the BRT project the upgrading of the Ayala to Talamban portion of the BRT dedicated lanes.

He cited in his approved resolution Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 “National agencies and offices with project implementation functions shall coordinate with one another and with the local go-vernment units concerned in the discharge of these functions. They shall ensure the participation of local government units both in the planning and implementation of said national projects.”

The City Council has also requested DOTC to proceed with the next phases of the implementation of the project.

DOTC is expected to divulge the engineering and consultancy firms that would conduct the detailed engineering design for the BRT project in the city and will be disclosed later this year or early next year.

The detailed engineering design will identify and quantify all the essential works needed to implement the BRT and the transport and procurement for construction services, including the infrastructure related design and station design.

The detailed engineering design will take at least six to eight months. BRT is expected to be operational in 2017.

The second Technical Working Group coordination meeting will be conducted this month and will tackle further updates regarding the implementation of the BRT project. —  (FREEMAN)