CSCR viaduct to closed to traffic in July from 10pm to 4am

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) viaduct would be closed to traffic from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. for the whole month of July to allow Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) to undertake construction works for the toll expressway.

The CCLEC is currently working on the installation of planks that will serve as road deck or carriageway. It also advised all northbound motorists to take F. Vestil Road and southbound motorists to take Osmeña Boulevard to Natalio Bacalso Avenue routes.

“We have successfully installed all girders connecting the on-ramp section of the CCLEX project to the Cebu viaduct section that crosses above the CSCR viaduct,” CCLEC announced on Wednesday following an extended closure of the viaduct on June 30.

Seen as one of the country’s largest infrastructure projects, the P30-billion CCLEX envisions an 8.5-kilometer toll expressway to Cordova from Cebu City’s South Road Properties.

The toll expressway is said to have an improved Radio Frequency Identification (RFI) system for more efficient lane throughput, weigh-in-motion sensors to detect overloaded vehicles, and IP-based Speed Detection Cameras and HD CCTVs for traffic monitoring and incident detection.

With two lanes in each direction and a 51-meter navigation clearance, the CCLEX can serve at least 50,000 vehicles daily.

The project is undertaken by the CCLEC, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), under a joint venture agreement with Cebu City and Cordova.

MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo Franco said the CCLEX will have a “cashless toll system,” the first toll project of the MPTC to be fully cashless when operating.

The CCLEX will also have gasoline stations, retail outlets, convenience stores, restaurants, and security, medical, and maintenance centers there.

The project is set to be completed by the end of 2021 and will be open to motorists by the first quarter of 2022. — Deogracia William Bemida, Silliman University Intern, FPL (FREEMAN)