Cebu City Administrator Rosell cites changes in plan for delay, while Councilor Guardo blames ongoing discussion on whether to demolish 2 skywalks along project route
THE Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project Package 1 will not meet its completion target due to certain changes.
Cebu City Administrator Collin Rosell made the announcement during a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, but he did not specify the nature of these changes.
“Sa BRT... medyo naa na siya’y kalangay gamay kay naa may changes sa mga plano (The project will be delayed a little bit because of changes in the plan),” Rosell said.
He said the first package of the CBRT is now expected to be partially operational in the first quarter of 2024 instead of the initial target completion of December.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) awarded Package 1 of the CBRT project to Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Co. Ltd. in late 2022, making it responsible for the civil works.
Phase 1 of the CBRT encompasses a segregated bus lane that spans 2.38 kilometers with four bus stations and 1.15 kilometers of pedestrian improvements. It covers the distance from the Cebu South Bus Terminal along N. Bacalso Ave. to the front of the Capitol building along Osmeña Blvd.
According to previous reports by VoxPop Cebu, the contractor had projected that the first package would be partially implemented by December 2023 and fully operational by the second quarter of 2025.
No perspective
During the press conference, Rosell urged the DOTr to create a perspective (visual representation) of the CBRT, which would allow the public to visualize how the project will look once it is completed.
“Kinahanglan jud unta sa nagdala ana, mao ang DOTr, maghimo jud siya og klaro nga picture kon unsay expected ana inig human sa panahon, nga ingon nila mo operate na inig first quarter next year,” Rosell said.
(The agency in charge of the project, which is the DOTr, should come up with a clear picture of what the public can expect once the project is completed. It said it will be operational in the first quarter of next year.)
Meanwhile, Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, told VoxPop Cebu on Friday, Oct. 13, that the ownership of the two skywalks on Osmeña Blvd. and the discussion whether to demolish these or not have also delayed the first package’s completion.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has recently certified that it owns the skywalk near the Fuente Osmeña Circle, and the one near the Cebu Normal University.
No transfer
On Sept. 29, it was reported that the DPWH was willing to turn over the structures to the City Government.
However, Guardo said there had been no progress in the transfer of ownership to the City Government, which is why the City Council will let the DOTr and the DPWH, which both fall under the jurisdiction of the National Government, decide what will happen to the two skywalks.
“We have been talking about this project in the council for the last 10 to 15 years. Ang akoa lang (For me), there should have been a prior agreement and arrangement already from both agencies sa (in the) national (level),” Guardo said.
He said the issue should have been resolved before the project was even awarded to a contractor.
In a previous interview with VoxPop Cebu, Guardo said once the skywalks are turned over to the City and it becomes the rightful owner, the City will have the authority to decide whether to demolish them or not.
On Friday, Guardo said the City cannot intervene in favor of or against the demolition because it doesn’t have ownership rights.
He said the DPWH stands by its decision to retain the two skywalks, while the DOTr insists on demolition.
Project managers had pointed out at least two reasons why they wanted the structures to be removed.
First, the skywalks’ height might conflict with the height of the BRT bus stations. And second, their structural columns will obstruct the dedicated lanes that the BRT buses will traverse.
