Power outage shuts SRP tunnel

The South Road Properties (SRP) tunnel was temporarily closed to all traffic yesterday due to a 12-hour power interruption that affected its lighting facilities.

The one-kilometer long underground section of the Cebu South Coastal Road leading to the SRP tunnel was deemed “unsafe” because of “zero visibility.”

Raffy Yap, executive director of City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom), said while they were surprised by the outage, they managed to immediately detail traffic enforcers who diverted motorists from using the tunnel.

“As far as I know, I have not read any advisory that the power interruption will affect the tunnel. Maybe there was an advisory but it did not mention the tunnel so it did not trigger a red (mark) on my part,” Yap said.

Last Dec. 27, the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) posted on its Facebook page a scheduled power interruption affecting a large portion of barangays San Roque, Tejero, Tinago and T. Padilla.

The 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. outage also included the Malacañang sa Sugbo and Fort San Pedro, where the SRP tunnel is located.

“These interruptions are needed to improve our facilities in the areas mentioned and to further augment our services to our valued customers,” Veco said in its Facebook account.

Despite this, Yap said the traffic in the area was manageable since it was a Sunday.

“Two mobile cars with two traffic enforcers at each of the approaches of the tunnel were deployed to divert traffic,” Yap said.

He told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview that the closure was temporary and will depend on when the power is restored. “We just need to close it for safety reasons,” Yap said.

Last Friday afternoon, a couple and their driver were injured in a collision with a truck that also resulted in a six car pile-up outside the SRP tunnel.

A settlement between the affected motorists and the company that owned the truck is being worked out today.

Yap said Cebu City Hall has no oversight authority on the SRP tunnel since it is under the management of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). /Dale G. Israel, Senior Reporter