Builders propose ‘instant flyovers’ to help ease Metro Manila traffic

The local construction industry is planning to propose the construction of “instant flyovers” to the incoming Duterte administration to help ease the worsening vehicular congestion in the major arteries of Metro Manila.

DM Consunji Inc. president Jorge Consunji, a former president of the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA), said that while they do not want to preempt the incoming administration in coming up with solutions to traffic woes, the PCA believes the next president would be interested in ways to improve the flow of traffic.

“On behalf of the PCA, we are to introduce a new technology that aims to provide a solution to the worsening traffic condition in the country, specifically in Metro Manila. We want to introduce instant flyovers, in lieu of the conventional flyovers,” said Consunji.

While an “instant flyover” is more expensive compared to conventional ones, Consunji said the new technology is more cost efficient in terms of construction time, labor and other expenses while conventional flyovers require more materials, time, and labor to build.

“Given a chance, our association would like to propose this new technology. Although it’s more expensive versus the construction of conventional flyovers, this technology promises to improve the traffic condition in Metro Manila,” he said.

A conventional flyover takes about 18 months to complete and is prone to delays due to right of way issues, highly reliant on the quality of soil in the construction area for foundation and is dependent on weather conditions.

On the other hand, an instant flyover could reduce the risk of delay since the materials that are being utilized for putting up instant flyovers are already pre-fabricated, weather proof and does not require too much labor.

“An instant flyover costs about P1 billion to 11.2 billion per kilometer, and would speed up the completion of flyovers by up to 30 percent as against the conventional ones,” Consunji said.

“We [DM Consunji Inc.], along with all the other member constructors at PCA, are prepared to offer this technology to the next administration. It is high time that worsening traffic condition in Metro Manila be addressed as promptly as possible,” he said.

The Arroyo administration had purchased several modular system or prefabricated flyovers that were meant to be put up in heavy traffic areas in Metro Manila. However, these were set aside and not used by the incumbent administration.