DPWH okays budget for Mandaue flyovers

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways has set aside P1.7 billion for the construction of three flyovers in Mandaue City.

However, there is a possibility that the construction of one of the three proposed flyovers will not push through after studies showed its presence can only worsen vehicular traffic along Ouano Avenue in barangay Centro to Plaridel Street in barangay Cambaru.

Architect Florentino Nimor of the City Planning and Development told reporters yesterday this proposed flyover is near intersections that could worsen traffic.

Nimor said although the project has been approved, doesn't mean it cannot be aborted, and the budget allotted for it can always be realigned.

He said city projects, although funded by national government, still needs an endorsement by the local government or Sanguniang Panlungsod (SP), or undergo a public hearing.

Nimor said flyovers' use should not be generalized. He said there are flyovers that are useful while there are others that are not.

Most successful cities have flyovers, Nimor said.

He said the reason why many are opposed to the construction of flyovers in Cebu City and almost none in Mandaue City is because Cebu City is different from Mandaue City.

He said if flyovers are not that important to Cebu City, it is different with Mandaue because the city has a small land area and yet all the volumes of traffic from the north and south of the province traverse the city.

He said some flyovers that have been built do not successfully decongest traffic in certain areas perhaps due to the lack of study or the feasibility study was not followed.

Two other planned flyovers in the city of Mandaue are the tri-level intersection along United Nations in barangay Cambaru which is expected to commence in 2012 and finished in 2016 while the other one will be in M.C. Briones and A.S. Fortuna Street.

The city thinks that one way of decongesting traffic along Plaridel Street is to make an eight lane coastal road and reclaim about 130 hectares of property in the city, he said.

Nimor said at the south coastal road, McArthur Boulevard, and Ouano Avenue has eight lanes but Plaridel has four lanes. He said he hopes the coastal road project pushes through. - THE FREEMAN