Rama also wants roads included in safety review

Flyovers and road intersections in Cebu City will be assessed to determine if these structures are safe for use by motorists, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday.

“I don’t want to be finger pointing on who should be held liable (for the Banilad flyover accident) but if you are in the US, some people will already be resigning (by now). If you are in Japan some people will already (committing suicide),” he said.

The Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) is finishing its inventory of flyovers in the wake of the Banilad-Talamban flyover accident that resulted in former Miss Mandaue City Karina Gajudo losing her lower left leg.

Rama said he ordered Citom operations chief Rafael Yap to conduct an inventory of other flyovers like Archbishop Reyes Avenue and the Mambaling flyover along with road intersections to determine what other safety nets are needed.

“The four flyovers, the approaches are just awaiting accident. There are intersections also awaiting for accidents,” he said.

City Engineer Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez was also ordered to assess other roads that need repairs, Rama said.

“Whatever can be done, let it be done now before problems come,” Rama said.

The mayor said he also wanted to verify reports of the leaking roof of the South Coastal Road tunnel.

Rama said he wants to meet with groups of civil engineers, architects and deans of colleges of architecture within the week to help draft a design for the third bridge that he proposed to connect Cebu City with Shell Island in Cordova town.

Cebu City and Cordova town are divided by 500 meters of water. Cebu City district engineer Nicomedes Leonor earlier said the funding for the flyovers doesn’t include signages.

Rama said he doesn’t need to remind the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of their responsibility to ensure that government projects are safe for use.

Instead the agency should always be “sensitive” on what needs to be done to avert these accidents, the mayor told reporters. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters