Road project faces delay

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Transportation Office operations head Francisco Ouano is not keen on allowing the Department of Public Works and Highways-7 to begin construction of the P638-million underpass project in the south if diversion roads won’t be fixed beforehand.

Ouano said he won’t grant DPWH-7’s request to allow contractor WT Construction Inc. to start the project while simultaneously fixing the diversion roads like Tagunol and Ganciang streets.

It will take about two weeks for these roads to be patched up.

“Ang ilang gihuna-huna is Mambaling side ra. Among gihunahuna is the entire city. Dili na pwede nga atong i-shortcut tanan. By the time nga mahuman ang patching, okay ra gani nga wala nalang dry run basta ma okay na ang diversion roads,” Ouano told The FREEMAN.

The underpass project is seen to be completed in 18 months, long enough to affect the motorists and commuters, said Ouano.

The 700-meter underpass will have a two-way, two-lane depressed structure at the intersection of N. Bacalso Avenue and F. Llamas Street.

A dry run on the rerouting schemes to be implemented during the duration of the construction of the underpass was already done two weeks ago.

The second traffic dry run was, however, cancelled because of the condition of the diversion routes and the supposed lack of consultation among stakeholders.

DPWH plans to set the second traffic dry run for June 20 but there are no actual works scheduled yet to fix the diversion roads.

“I hope makasabot sila nga among side is mapahiluna gyod, especially ang mga pasahero ug mag-drive og sakyanan nga wala na gyod ning mga potholes kay anhi na hampak namo tanan,” Ouano said.

Ouano assured though that he will listen to the side of DPWH and its contractor during today’s meeting to discuss the proposal of DPWH.

DPWH project engineer Roy Dela Cruz said the department and the contractor are still finalizing the schedule of the maintenance works for the diversion roads.

Initially, Dela Cruz said DPWH wants the contractor to do the fixing together with the actual construction of the underpass to avoid construction delay.

He said this arrangement will not affect the traffic flow because the maintenance of the diversion roads will not be done during peak hours.

“Hopefully, before Tuesday next week, maka-start na mi sa patching of potholes para sa diversion roads. Dili ni dali mahuman kay tungod sa extent sa damage, daghang potholes,” Dela Cruz said.

Dela Cruz said he will ask CCTO to allow the contractor to work on the roads’ upkeeping while also working the underpass.

Dela Cruz said they are still ironing out the schedule of the patching, as well as the amount needed for the maintenance of the diversion roads, among others.

“Hangyo mi nga dili mi mohuwat og two weeks. Hangyo mi nga i-allow nami sa Tuesday nga mag-dry run nga second dry run para tuloy-tuloy na ang trabaho,” he said.

Tabunok flyover

In a separate development, DPWH Engineer Anthony Leslie Molina assured that the repair works done on the Tabunok flyover in Talisay City were according to standards, despite them being completed ahead of deadline.

The flyover will be reopened to the public starting 3 p.m. today after all nine expansion joints have been replaced.

Molina said PLD construction, the contractor of the project, chose a material which will take just one day to cure the cement.

"Ang volume sa flyover kay dili kaayo dako ug ang design nga gamiton kay katong one day curing sa cement. Mao na karon (yesterday) nagpauga na lang ta para ma-open dayon sa public," he said.  (FREEMAN)