Manila, May 30 (Engineering Daily) -- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said the agency is ready to implement several strategic major infrastructure projects in Cebu as part of President Duterte’s mandate to decongest major thoroughfares and implement an integrated seamless transport system.
“Among the big ticket projects to be implemented include the highly anticipated 74 kilometers Metro Cebu Expressway Project, which will reduce travel from Naga City to Danao City from three hours to one hour and 25 minutes,” Villar said.
“We have already completed the feasibility study of the P50 Billion Metro Cebu Expressway Project. It will be implemented in three segments,” he added.
The expressway is divided into three phases—from Talisay City to Cebu City and then to Mandaue City, from Consolacion to Liloan to Compostela to Danao City, and from Naga City to Minglanilla.
The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) has allotted P300 million from its P50-billion budget to spend for the road right-of-way (RROW) acquisition and initial civil works.
The P50 Billion Metro Cebu Expressway Project is part of President Rodrigo R. Duterte‘s infrastructure program, #BuildBuildBuild, which aims to increase the productive capacity of the economy and create jobs through the acceleration of massive infrastructure.
According to the International Monetary Fund, a sustained increase in public infrastructure spending to 5% of GDP would add a total of 5 to 6% to GDP after 15 years.
Also expected to decongest traffic congestion in the progressive City of Cebu is the planned construction of four lanes Guadalupe-Lahug By-Pass Road with a total length of 1.61 kilometers.
“The project with an estimated cost of P500 Million will shorten travel time Barangay Guadalupe to Barangay Lahug by 50 percent from one hour to only 30 minutes,” Villar said.
“In addition, feasibility study is now on-going for the construction of Mandaue City-Consolacion-Liloan Bypass Road which is expected to bring down travel time from Cebu City to the Municipality of Liloan by 50 percent,” Villar added.
Secretary Villar is optimistic that the entire project would be finished before the end of President Duterte’s term in 2022.
