Capitol road open to motorists Monday

Starting Monday, the Capitol compound road will be accessible for vehicles plying Escario Street en route to Guadalupe area.

The opening is expected to ease congestion along M. Velez and G. Garcia Streets brought about by a road-widening project.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive director Jack Jakosalem sealed an agreement yesterday with engineer Nicomedes Leonor Jr., the city’s district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The opening of the Capitol compound road from Escario Street leading to the road between the Legislative Building and the Palace of Justice will run from Oct. 24 to Dec. 15 to coincide with the DPWH road-widening construction. The roads may only be used between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Some of the passenger utility jeepneys (PUJs) would have to be rerouted too, said Jakosalem, while Governor Garcia emphasized no loading and unloading within the Capitol compound for public transportation.

“Even Capitol employees cannot (disembark) from PUJs … they will have to go to their usual stops,” said Garcia.

Jakosalem said Citom would deploy at least six traffic enforcers within the Capitol compound. The security personnel from the compound will also be assisting the traffic enforcers. Citom will also be mounting directional signages inside the compound.

Leonor is confident that they will be able to finish widening a substantial portion of the road adjacent to the Capitol compound before Dec. 15. The project, he said, had long been delayed because of the informal settlers and road right-of-way issues.

He estimated at least 75 structures that would be affected by the road-widening project. He said 27 of them had already accepted the P17,100 payment for the voluntary removal of their structures.

The rest of the settlers had also signified their intentions to get the payment as well, said Leonor.

To do away with the tedious government process, Leonor said that the private contractor hired by the DPWH for the project volunteered to pay the needed amount for reimbursement later.

Once finished, motorists will find a wider road with the mahogany trees currently at the sides becoming part of the road’s island.

Provincial Board Member Peter John Calderon, who stood as witness to the signing, said there is no need for an authorization from the PB because this agreement was not permanent.

He said the governor had supervisory powers on all properties of the provincial government.