DPWH 7: Cebu city flyovers to be built this year

A PUBLIC works official in Cebu said the controversial flyovers planned for Cebu City will “definitely” push thorugh within the year.

Assistant Regional Director Juby Cordon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said their office has completed the traffic study which President Aquino ordered for M.J. Cuenco and Gorordo Avenues, where the two flyovers worth P800 million are set to be constructed.

Cordon said even if the construction was suspended by Secretary Reynaldo Singson, construction will eventually push through since it is needed.

“Within the year, the flyovers should start. The money is already there and it would be a waste not to use it,” she said.

The traffic study conducted by the DPWH-7 Planning Management Office last December showed that flyovers are needed along the juncture of M.J. Cuenco and Gorordo Avenues to decongest traffic.

DPWH-7 spokesperson Marie Nellama said the traffic study showed that flyovers are needed but that road widening should come first.

Cordon said they already laid out plans for the road widening and these have been sent to the Central Office for approval..

“If it is approved by the Secretary, we will push through if they instruct us to proceed. We’re just waiting for the decision of the Secretary on the matter,” she said.

Cordon said that they also set the amount needed for road widening of M.J. Cuenco, which will be taken from the budget allocated for the flyovers.

“The plan they made was for the flyover and the widening. As of now, we extract the flyovers from the plan and focus on widening,” she said. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya