Mandaue City underpass: Construction a go

CEBU, Philippines —  The construction of phase 1 of the P711.9-million underpass along UN Avenue, in Mandaue City is set to start tomorrow, and motorists and commuters are advised to take alternative roads to avoid traffic.

Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing said the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are coordinating in terms of traffic flow in the area.

DPWH-7 regional director Ador Canlas said in a recent report that they will not close any lanes for phase 1 of the project, which includes barricading or fencing off of the area and the deployment of heavy equipment.

While the DPWH assured there will be no traffic congestion resulting from phase 1, Quisumbing said they will not take chances and look for an access road to ease up possible traffic buildup.

"Mao lagi na, ang atong TEAM enforcers and the DPWH are coordinating. We will try to soften the blow as much as possible and we are looking for alternative routes that we might be able to utilize while the project is ongoing," Quisumbing said.

However, TEAM chief of operations Glenn Antigua said they did not prepare much since the DPWH told them they will first start their clearing operation intended for the service road of the project.

Antigua said the traffic flow along UN Avenue will not be affected as the contractors will work on the sides of the said area. The DPWH will also remove electrical posts in the area as part of their clearing operation.

In an earlier report, Canlas said Visayas Electric Company chief operating officer Anton Perdices told them that the utility corridors holding the lines of various utility and telecommunication firms will be transferred on July 23.

Quisumbing said big projects like this one, which is being funded by the national government, always come with a little inconvenience.

"Whether we like it or not, any infrastructure development is inconvenient. Panagsa ra g’yud ta makahimo’g project nga walay inconvenience sa public. That's just the way it is," Quisumbing explained.

Quisumbing added that the underpass will become a big help to the public commuters soon. He said it is not just Mandaue that will benefit from this project but other neighboring cities as well.

"Kahibaw g’yud mi dunay inconvenience on the part of the commuting public. Once the structure is finished, we are sure that there will be more efficient traffic flow," he explained.

In all, the project is about 952 meters long, about 680 meters of it will be for the underpass alone from the Flying V gas station until before Wilcon Depot.

Canlas said the duration of the project is about 910 days, including the design phase which started last December, carried out by their contractor B.M. Marketing, a Leyte-based company. — /BRP (FREEMAN)