Cebu City Council backs flyover projects

They aren’t the best remedy to traffic congestion but the Cebu City Council yesterday supported the two proposed flyover  projects of Rep. Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” del Mar.

“Although the flyovers are not a complete solution to traffic congestion, the need for flyovers has already been  proven by the current flyover, that has greatly lessened problems on traffic,”  the council said in a resolution passed on mass motion.

The flyovers, worth P600 milion, are supposed to rise  along the intersections of M.J. Cuenco and General Maxilom Avenues and Gorordo and Archbishop Reyes Avenues starting this year.

Del Mar, in a press statement, thanked the city legislators for “a clear, collective decision of the leaders whom the voters elected to represent their interest.”

Mayor Michael Rama said he stands by his decision to lobby for the widening of city streets and a traffic master plan instead of building more flyovers.

“But what the council did is good even if it’s different from my stand. Why would I argue with it?” he told reporters yesterday.

Del Mar  said “traffic woes won’t entirely go away but will be reduce by a clutch of  measures” that include flyovers, wider roads,  strict traffic law enforcement, motorists’ discipline and reducing the number of vehicles.

Her father, former north district representative Raul del Mar,  said the council’s support is a recognition of how flyovers  can  ease traffic problems.

“The city council knows how much hard work has gone unto the projects, given the practice of the central government to give the larger chunk of resources to Manila for its ever-growing infrastructure needs,” he said.

The elder Del Mar told reporters that the flyovers should not have to wait until all other traffic measures are  studied and implemented.

The council resolution was sponsored by Councilors Noel Wenceslao, Augsutus Pe Jr. and Ritchie Osmeña.

It noted that “for the last two decades, a lot of business establishments are sprouting in the city, coupled with the influx of people from different places.” /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters