Cuenco tells BRT management: Finish Phase 1 first

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Bus Rapid Transit management should first finish the Phase 1 of the CBRT before implementing its “Link to Port” component because Cebu City’s streets are not yet ready for pedestrianization.

This is the sentiment of City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco, City Council committee on transportation and communication chairman, when sought for his comment on the matter yesterday.

The Link to Port feature of the CBRT seeks to pedestrianize the portion of Osmen?a Blvd. from the P. del Rosario St. junction up to Plaza Independencia, by expanding the sidewalk and leaving just a lane in each direction for vehicular traffic.

Cuenco said that although he agrees with the overall concept of pedestrianization, he would side with the Cebu City Transportation Office’s (CCTO) stance that the city is not ready yet for its implementation.

The plans to pedestrianize a section of Osmen?a Blvd. is a CBRT feature that also aligns with the plan to revitalize Colon St. by closing a portion of the street to keep vehicles away and for the people to just walk.

“I am against it (Link to Port) because of the timeliness. And I agree with the CCTO, we are not ready for now, at least,” Cuenco said.

Previously, Atty. Kent Jongoy, CCTO assistant head, said the road is not ready for the Link to Port project because implementing it is akin to a road closure that requires sufficient planning.

Cuenco said among the primary factors that defeat pedestrianization is the aggressive climate change, or the inconsistency of the weather in the city.

“Here in our country, there’s only the rainy and the dry season. And because of the climate change, we are in extreme weather situations…. In summer, it is very hot, and in the rainy season, the rain pours very hard and its flooding,” he said.

Cuenco said pedestrianization works in other countries that have four seasons.

He also said that pedestrianization should not be executed on Osmen?a Blvd. because while he understands the target portion sits in the city’s heritage district, there is another location that is more viable for it.

He then suggested it should instead be implemented on Magallanes and Borromeo Streets, from the junction with Colon Street up to the Magellan’s Cross.

“To pedestrianize the whole stretch of Osmen?a Boulevard, which is a major thoroughfare, would only create more chaos in terms of traffic and accessibility among our commuting traffic,” Cuenco said.

Besides, he said, the Link to Port feature is not part of the original design the CBRT management should focus more on finishing the main component first before proceeding to the civil works for the pedestrianization project.

He said Phase 1’s completion has long been delayed and remains undetermined yet.

Cuenco, who is a vocal critique of the CBRT project, said that its alignment with the overall concept of pedestrianization may work, but Phase 1 must be completed first to determine its certainty.

“We will never know until it’s there. So, I suggest tiwason sa nila. Let us see how the BRT will be implemented, and how it could work. And if we see that it works, then let’s go ahead with the pedestrianization,” he said.

“But not at this stage,” he added. – RHM (CEBU NEWS)