EDDIE BARRITA:
They should also take a peek at other interior roads in the city where they can find potholes galore
What a difference 27 years make. Barrita examines how it was after Cebu City was devastated by typhoon Ruping on Nov. 13, 1990 when then mayor Tomas Osmeña launched “asphalt storm” to pave the city’s roads with “blitzkrieg” speed. And yet, when Osmeña returned to City Hall after the May 16 elections, the city is fast turning into a city of potholes, which have already forced the traffic office to stop the traffic rerouting dry run along a portion of N. Bacalso Ave. because most of the detour roads were dotted with these craters.
Typhoon Ruping wrought devastation in Cebu on Nov. 13, 1990. In its aftermath, then Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña launched an “asphalt storm” to repair the city’s roads.
Asphalt storm, most probably patterned after the Desert Storm in Iraq, paved with asphalt most roads in the city with “blitzkrieg” speed.
Osmeña returned to Cebu City Hall after winning the May 2016 polls and Cebu City is fast turning into a city of potholes.
These potholes prompted the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to stop the traffic rerouting dry run along a portion of N. Bacalso Ave. to prepare for the P683-million underpass project in the area.
Francisco Ouano, CCTO operations chief, said among the interior roads with potholes where traffic was diverted are Rizal Ave. Ext., Ganciang St. and Tagunol St.
They should also take a peek at other interior roads in the city where they can find potholes galore.
It seems these potholes are becoming a perpetual complaint of motorists against city officials. In some areas, officials call these potholes as “pavement failures.”
So the CCTO officials could say they stop the traffic dry run because of pavement failure in some interior roads.
In the spirit of fun, they may also organize a contest for motorists to drive through roads with pavement failure without breaking an axle.
CCTO’s Ouano said he told the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 about the potholes. DPWH is implementing the underpass project.
DPWH 7 project engineer Roy dela Cruz said interior roads are no longer their concern, but they will help the city in asphalting them to allow them to expedite the underpass project.
They should hurry in implementing the project. Note that former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama came out of hibernation to say the underpass project lacks proper public consultation.