Visayas newest mega-infrastructure, the Cebu Subway Tunnel, also called Segment 3B-2 Subway, opened to light traffic Thursday in attempts by local government to help ease the building traffic anticipated with the opening of classes Tuesday next week.
Although only 97% done, the said to be first and longest subway in the region, the tunnel opening however was still limited to light vehicles on selected time of day (6:00 am to 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM).
This is because finishing touches of the contract still needs to be done before the tunnel could be fully opened for the public, contractors were quoted by national dailies.
No less that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) officiated the inaugural run-through of the remaining 1.23 kilometer segment of the Cebu South Road Coastal Properties (CSRCP) which features a 610 twin box four lane tunnel with 330 meter retaining structure running underneath the historic Plaza Independencia and comes out at the Sergio Osmena Boulevard.
The tunnel would effectively allow traffic from the South Road Properties (SRP) to skirt the usually congested section of Barangay Mambaling by taking the subway and only emerges to join the traffic at the Osmena Boulevard, a Cebuano driver told reporters covering the event.
It was Mrs. Arroyo who promised in her State of the Nation Address the tunnel as super region support infrastructure development to help decongest traffic in Cebu City’s commercial and business district.
The tunnel connects the South Road Properties to the Cebu International Container Port and off to Mactan International Airport.
Sources from the Department of Public Works and Highways also bared that the finishing touches are actually needed set-ups including lighting facilities, control rooms, telecommunications facilities, security installations and pumps to drain excess water from the tunnel.
The tunnel segment owns a full contract amount of P1.2 B+ and is funded by the National Government’s 20,000-yen loan package from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), reports said.
Initially set for opening this August, it was also Pres. Arroyo who instructed the DPWH to haste the finishing touches so the infrastructure could be opened immediately.
Pres. Arroyo is set to step down after nine years of taking the country’s top seat at the end of the month.
Already accused as one of the most corrupt of all Philippine presidents, Arroyo Administration has however built 47,773 kilometers of roads, so much more than the three past administrations combined which only pegged about 34,327 kilometers of roads. (PIA-Bohol)