Re-evaluation of study on BRT sought

CEBU, Philippines - The technical working group for the city’s Bus Rapid Transit system wants the Department of Transportation and Communications  to re-evaluate the feasibility study conducted years ago on the project to update existing data.

Re-evaluation would cover land use, the BRT route, infrastructure and other developments – even factors like flooding, said City Traffic Operations Management Executive Director Rafael Yap.

With changes in Cebu City’s landscape, Yap said it is vital that further reassessment be conducted on the data culled from the studies in 2008 and later from 2011 to 2012.

Mayor Michael Rama appointed Yap recently as “BRT czar” and member of the technical working group.

“We are not hiding the fact that in two years that BRT was since proposed, a lot of things have changed and World Bank and DOTC have also realized this. Re-evaluation is needed in terms of what has changed, what variable needs to be readjusted, land use or the number of buildings that sprouted on the route…” Yap said.

He, however, did not disclose the timeframe of the reassessment.

The World Bank will finance $141-million of the 23-kilometer project.

The other members of the technical working group are City Administrator Jose Ma. Poblete, Department of Engineering and Public Works, City Assessor’s Office, City Planning and Development Office, South Road Properties Management Office, DOTC, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7, Land Transportation Office 7, Department of Public Works and Highways 7 and Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7.

Flooding

In yesterday’s Urban Transportation Forum, Engr. Fortunato Sanchez Jr., chairman of the subcommittee on infrastructure and utilities of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board, asked for the impact of flooding to the project.

Business organizations from Sweden have partnered with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. in helping the city improve its transport system. They shared reliable, scalable and financially beneficial solutions.

Yap said flooding and other environmental concerns will be considered and incorporated into the detailed engineering design, which will start early next year.

“The detailed engineering design is a design essentially will take into account the height and design of stations to address the flooding concern accordingly,” he said.

The detailed engineering design will identify and quantify all the essential works needed to implement the BRT and of the transport and procurement for construction services, including the infrastructure related design and station design. Also, it includes social management study that deals with the impact on the jeepney drivers, conductors, operators and commuters

With the advancement in technology, Idros Puteh of Sweden-based bus manufacturing company Scania, said the BRT is viable in low areas or even flood-prone areas because its machine can be mounted inside the bus and can be customized depending on the customer and area’s specifications

He said it is also possible to have doors on both curve side and median access of the BRT.

Yap, however, said a trade off may have to be put in place in terms of sitting capacity because spaces will be lessened.

University of San Carlos President, Fr. Dionisio Miranda, meanwhile, pointed out that the original proposed route would serve more passengers than the Imus-Juan Luna-Talamban route, something that Yap said would be taken into consideration during reassessment.

“…where is the data that show Imus is better than Osmeña Boulevard or V. Rama is better than Osmeña Boulevard? We are conscious of the changes, the reason why one of our priorities is to do reevaluation of BRT route and feasibility study,” he said.

The P10.6-billion BRT project is expected to be operational by 2017. The BRT corridor will be around 23 kilometers and will run from Barangay Bulacao in the southwestern end of the city to Barangay Talamban in the north. The route will pass four intersections: Osmeña Boulevard/Colon Street, V. Rama Avenue/M. Velez Street, M.J. Cuenco Avenue/J. Luna Avenue; and Gorordo Avenue/Salinas Drive. – (FREEMAN)