Mayor to restore funds for traffic master plan

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he plans to restore P75 million funding for  six master plans, including one for traffic, in the next supplemental budget.

The amount was scrapped by the City Council last December from his proposed annual budget for 2012, but the mayor said he will resubmit it for council approval in order to have a guide for the city’s future projects.

A drainage master plan is expected to cost P25 million while the five others would cost P10 million each.

The five are for master plans for the South Road Properties (SRP), traffic, coastal management, drainage maintenance and flood control projects and beautification of downtown and uptown Cebu City.

With debate revived over plans for two new flyovers proposed again by the Department of Public Works and Highways, the mayor said “my position has never wavered” in opposing additional flyovers in the absence of an updated transport master plan for Metro Cebu.

“What we need is road widening,” he said, not “band-aid” solutions offered by massive flyovers.

Rama said that if needed, he would loudly object again to two new flyovers being proposed by DPWH.

The  projects, costing P800 million, are envisioned to rise along intersections of Juan Luna Avenue, one near the Mabolo Church on M.J. Cuenco Avenue and another in the access road to Ayala on Cardinal Rosales Avenue-F. Cabahug Street.

The national projects are being endorsed by Rep. Cutie del Mar of Cebu City’s north district as a part of a proposed network of seven flyovers in the city.

Three already exist in the north district.  Two proposed along Gorordo and M.J. Cuenco avenues were suspended last September 2011 by the DPWH secretary after opposition from various stakeholders advocating preservation of the environment and heritage, urban planners and traffic managers. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters