Crash victim’s father asked for safety sign on flyover; DPWH says it’s not included in project

Three days before the near-fatal car crash, the father of accident victim Carina Gajudo reminded a public works official that the Banilad-Talamban flyover in Cebu City needs a warning sign.

Allan Gajudo, a retired official of the Commission on Audit (CoA), was visiting his friend, Nicomedes Leonor, Cebu City district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), at his office.

The father asked whether DPWH could put a reflectorized sticker at the foot of the flyover to warn motorists to slow down or alert them of the concrete structure ahead.

Leonor said he told his friend that reflectorized stickers don’t conform to DPWH standards for road signs and the idea was set aside.

On Feb. 23, the flyover was the site of an accident that nearly claimed the life of Gajudo’s daughter, Carina, and her Japanese-Filipino boyfriend, Junichi Dizon Kuribayashi.

With Carina at the wheel, the car rammed the flyover’s concrete lane divider and flipped over about 4 a.m..

The 21-year-old culinary arts student, was flung out of the car. The impact cut off her lower left leg.

The overpass, which is dimly lit, has been called accident-prone by traffic managers, and had only black-and-white stripes painted on the approaches.

NOT IN BUDGET

The installation of warning signs is not part of the multi-million peso outlay for a flyover, Leonor told Cebu Daily News yesterday.

“The budget for a flyover is only for its structure. Warning signs are not included. Safety precautions are not part of the construction,” he explained.

Leonor said safety devices like reflectorized studs, wing walls, humps, street lights or signages were not part of the budget for construction of the flyover.

He said it’s up to the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) to recommend what signages to be installed and that DPWH would have to check for fund availability.

After the Feb. 23 accident, the north approach of the flyover was painted over with yellow paint to make it more visible by the Citom.

A reflectorized sticker was also added to the concrete post.

The Ban-Tal flyover was opened in 2008 at a cost of P86.7 million. It is one of four flyovers in Cebu City, which also lack directional signs to warn motorists of the slope up ahead, speed limit, or give visible cues of the concrete dividers in the two-lane overpass.

Police are still investigating how the accident happened. It took place at 4 a.m. as Carina, who was at the wheel, and her boyfriend were going home to barangay Talamban after having drinks in a bar in Crossroads.

Following an accident in 2011, when a sports utility vehicle rammed a concrete lane divider in the other side of the Ban-Tal flyover, injuring four people, DPWH painted the concrete wall with black and white stripes.

Leonor said approaches of all four flyovers in Cebu City are painted with black and white stripes.

But Leonor admits these stripes are not visible especially if the driver is speeding.

“If the vehicle is going fast, it’s hard to see the lines,” Leonor said.

Leonor said the flyover contractor only complies with the scope of work specified in the bidding.

This includes removal of structures and obstructions prior to the construction, foundation, drainage, concrete pavement, completed bored piles, structural and reinforcements, curb, gutter and sidewalk, pavement markings for the centerline and lampposts and lights.

In the blueprint of the Ban-Tal flyover shown to CDN, the budget does not state any safety road signs.

“The additional features in the flyover (like safety signs) depends on the request of Citom,” Leonor said.

Last Monday, after the Feb. 23 crash, Leonor instructed DPWH Cebu City maintenance division to place reflectorized studs on the road which motorists can see before they reach the concrete island.

Advise

“Most of the road accidents in the flyovers are caused by overspeeding except if there is a mechanical error. That is the same in the South Road Properties (SRP),” Leonor said.

Leonor said that even if the government puts up precautionary signs, they are useless if drivers still exceed the speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour.

Citom is set to conduct a safety audit of all four flyovers in Cebu City following the Feb. 23 accident.

“It’s part of DPWH’s responsibilty to install warning devices. This is part of the program of works and estimates (POWE) for the project. But where are these items after the project is implemented?” asked Citom head Rafael Yap in an earlier interview.

After several accidents occurred there, Citom chairman Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem commented in 2011 that the ‘Ban-Tal’ flyover was “dangerous for motorists” with its inadequate lighting and signs.

He said he had repeatedly requested DPWH for high-visibility reflectors there.