Synchronize projects on transport: Labella

THE Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will have to be synchronized with the National Government effort on the Intermodal Integrated Traffic System (IITS).

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella stressed this during his first meeting with contractors of the BRT and IITS Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 14, 2019. Labella also named City Hall department heads as focal persons for the project’s implementation.

Labella, in revealing what transpired in the meeting, told reporters Friday, “We impress upon them that the BRT project must jibe with the IITS.”

The BRT will traverse from South Road Properties as its starting point and pass through the Capitol Site for Phase 1.

Phase 2 will run from Capitol, passing through Escario Street to its end point at Cebu IT Park in Apas, Lahug.

The first phase of construction will start before the year ends. The BRT is expected to start operating in 2022.

The BRT is one of the components of the IITS for Metro Cebu which will have a monorail system as its backbone.

The BRT buses will serve as feeder system to the monorail transport system.

The mayor said more meetings will be held to monitor progress of the project.

Labella also said he appointed General Services Office head June Maratas, Department of Engineering and Public Works chief Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez, and City Planning and Development Office head Joel Reston as focal persons for the BRT.

Maratas, a lawyer, will work on the needed lot acquisitions.

Once completed, the P17-billion project will have a total of around 250 buses with 21 stations. /