UN Avenue lane open on Oct. 28

THE road concreting project of United Nations (UN) Avenue will be open to traffic on Oct. 28 when the curing period is finished for the remaining 340 meter stretch in Mandaue City to Lapu-Lapu.

Work was speeded up to catch up with the Nov. 30 National Thanksgiving Mass of Pedro Calungsod in Cebu City and the Nov. 21 national convention of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineering (PICE) at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

Rachel Lumapas, section chief of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) construction division, said verbal orders to fast track the work was given by DPWH Regional Director Ador Canlas and Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson.

Complaints were also relayed by the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) who said foreign visitors often failed to arrive on time for their scheduled flights.

Employees were also reporting late for work in the Mactan Economic Processing Zone (MEPZ) because of the road work.

Work continues on 340 meters of the 973-meter outer road from Mandaue to Lapu-Lapu City.

The project along UN Avenue started last Aug. 20 and was du to finish after 180 calendar days or on March 03, 2013.

But the project was finished within two months and eight days.

Lumapas assured that the quality didn’t suffer since the cement mixture was adjusted to cure within one week rather than the regular two-week curing period.

This meant adjusting the project cost to P31 million to accommodate other changes like the paint of the gutter and its curb.

The inner lane from Lapu-Lapu City heading to Mandaue City was opened last Oct. 10.

By November, DPWH will start its asphalting project of the 1.9 kilometers road from New Avenue Bridge near Cebu Port Authority up to the 30 meters junction from Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).

The project which is expected to last to 270 days is pegged at P121 million and will be taken from the DPWH’s national budget.

The asphalt of the eight lane road will consist of two layers measuring four inches thick.

DPWH said letters will be sent next week to Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to inform them about the project.