Soliven was invited as guest of honor to join Fernando in cutting the ribbon to declare the flyover open.
The flyover is expected to decongest traffic on one of the busiest thoroughfares in Ortigas Center, an important commercial and financial district.
Specifically, the flyover aims to solve the traffic gridlock at the intersection of Meralco and Julia Vargas Avenues. The traffic situation around Ortigas Center and the SM Megamall area is also expected to improve with the opening of the flyover.
According to the MMDA, an average of 30,000 vehicles — 75 percent of which are public utility vehicles — traverse Meralco Avenue daily.
Fernando, who was given control and supervisory powers by President Arroyo over the office of the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR), commended the Pasig city government for taking the initiative to build a flyover, a task usually left by local government units (LGUs) to the national government.
"Ang flyover na ito ay bantayog para ipakita ang kakayanan sa pananalapi ng lungsod ng Pasig (This flyover is proof of the Pasig City government’s financial strength)," Fernando said.
Fernando noted that Pasig City is the only LGU that was able to construct six important bridges that connect different points in the city, including the bridge over the Pasig Floodway.
Soliven, for his part, congratulated the city government for thinking of a project that would benefit motorists and business enterprises in that dynamic financial district, but most of all the community itself, the people who live and work in the area.
Fernando was the representative of Mrs. Arroyo at the event while Soliven represented the media and business sectors.
Eusebio said the flyover is proof of the city’s commitment to make Pasig City investor-friendly.
"We are doing everything to help improve the business climate in the city for our investors. This is one of the many projects we had lined up for the benefit of Pasiguenos, proof that if the LGU and the business sector work hand-in-hand, we can reach new heights that would redound to the benefit of Pasiguenos in particular and the country’s economy in general," he said.
The flyover was a project started by the city government during the term of Eusebio’s wife, Soledad.
The four-lane flyover, which traverses the six-lane Meralco Avenue, "was designed for the heaviest vehicle," said engineer Edgardo Dionisio, project coordinator of Fersan Construction.
The flyover is 500 meters long and 16.5 meters wide. It also has a concrete barrier and asphalt overlay to prevent accidents as well as tapered street lights.
Eusebio disclosed that the two Meralco light posts that are obstructions on the east bound lane of Meralco Avenue would be removed soon while a portion of the avenue’s eastbound lane near Julia Vargas will be widened.
Fernando added that the city government and the MMDA would still have to observe the traffic flow in the flyover and the surrounding areas in the next few weeks to determine if adjustments are needed.
Another traffic problem in the area, he said, is the bottleneck at the intersection of Ortigas Ave. and Meralco Avenue, a few meters away from the flyover.
Some 200 Pasig City residents attended the inauguration along with Vice Mayor Rosalio "Yoyong" Martirez, city councilors, barangay captains and MMDA officials.
Msgr. Rodolfo Gallardo, parish priest of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pasig, officiated the blessing of the flyover. — With Non Alquitran