“My suggestion is we do a roundabout.”
This was what Gov. Gwen Garcia said in a meeting with Lone District of Mandaue Rep. Emmarie Ouano-Dizon, Undersecretary Terrence Calatrava of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, and officials of DPWH-7, led by director Ernesto Gregorio Jr. on January 9.
Gov. Garcia was reacting to the “Tri-Level Interchange” project that is planned to be implemented on the corner of M.C. Briones and United Nations Avenue in Mandaue City.
The area, a usual chokepoint, has a shopping mall on the intersection between Mandaue and Consolacion, as well as forms part of the UN Avenue that leads to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge which connects Mandaue City to Lapu-Lapu City.
The project is covered by House Bill No. 9586, authored by Rep. Ouano-Dizon, and was passed by the House of Representatives on its third and final reading in December last year.
Once approved by the president, the project is estimated to cost at least P1.8 billion (subject to the yearly inflation adjustments), to be downloaded to DPWH 7, the implementing agency, on a staggered, phase-by-phase basis, as initial projection states that target completion is 2028.
In fact, it is noteworthy that of the amount, only P320 million has been released for the construction of access roads because, admittedly, traffic congestion is certain when the tri-level interchange will be implemented.
Gov. Gwen said this will cause great inconvenience to the public since a tri-level interchange would require massive infrastructure construction on an already busy intersection.
“Bottom line is, really do what is good for the majority of the Cebuanos,” Gov. Garcia said. “If there’s a project, then let’s do it without causing any suffering or further burden for the Cebuanos,” she added.
She insisted that a roundabout, just like the one in Fuente Circle, is a much cheaper and more effective remedy, as compared to the construction of an interchange that is costlier, requires a longer time for implementation, as well as a source of inconvenience to the public.
Gov. Gwen also reminded the officials present of the horrendous condition of UN Avenue which remained dilapidated for three years because DPWH 7 got entangled in a legal battle with its contractor.
The Capitol, she added, had to intervene to fix the potholes especially that it would the first thing that tourists arriving at the Mactan Cebu International Airport will see upon crossing over to mainland Cebu.
With the same DPWH 7 personnel who couldn’t fix the potholes on the nearby UN Avenue handling this multi-billion-peso tri-level interchange project, the governor was justified in asking whether this is really the best option for the city.
Moreover, should Mandaue City opt for the roundabout, Gov. Garcia said the Capitol will help in relocating a few affected settlers whose houses will be covered by the roundabout, adding that it will largely involve an empty lot belonging to government.
“We are okay with it because si Gov as inahan sa Probinsya sa Sugbo,” Rep. Ouano-Dizon told Sugbo News after the meeting.
“Ang kaayohan sa mga Sugboanan ang gitan-aw. We are willing to sit down with Gov, with DPWH, Lone District of Mandaue, with LGU mahitungod ani,” she added.
A technical working group composed of representatives from the office of Rep. Ouano-Dizon, Mandaue City LGU, the Capitol, and DPWH 7 has been created to study the roundabout in Mandaue. | Jude Torres
