Rama says City Hall can take over from DPWH
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama
Cebu City Hall will activate contingency measures to prevent traffic accidents in flyovers and other structures ahead of the Holy Week break.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he already tapped contractor Willy Go to install plastic barrels filled with water at the approaches located on both sides of the Mambaling flyover.
“If the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) cannot institute immediate corrective measures, then we will have to do it from our end,” Rama said.
The mayor is still waiting for the inventory from the Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) of the existing road safety signs and the state of existing road intersections.
Rama said he already ordered Rafael Yap, operations chief of the Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) to deploy personnel and a traffic vehicle on standby along the Talisay side of the Cebu South Coastal Road.
“I don’t want to hear any further report of accidents,” he said.
The mayor said he expects the road to be accident prone during the Holy Week break since it will be used by street racers and joy riders wanting to exploit the reduced traffic volume there.
Citom has identified “deficiencies” in road safety features in flyovers located in Banilad, Tesda, Ayala and Mambaling.
“That inventory report should not be kept as a report. There has to be action to be done,” Rama said.
Yap said he already furnished the DPWH regional office a copy of his report for the implementation of corrective measures.
Rama said the obstructions at the approaches of the Mambaling flyover may include sacks filled with soil.
He said these would prevent vehicles from hitting the concrete approaches of the flyover in case of an accident.
The same strategy is also done for flyovers located along EDSA, he said.
The mayor said the city government could also tap the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Cebu Contractors Association to help put up safety signages. Rama said contractors should call the government’s attention if they think that the project design was not properly made.
A traffic accident that occured at the Banilad-Talamban flyover last month resulted in a former Miss Mandaue titlist losing her leg and injured her male companion.
After the accident Citom coated the flyovers concrete lane separator with reflectorized paint to enhance its visibility. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters
