Cebu Mass Transportation: Buses, Trains or both?

[tolstoi]

Bill for the implementation of the much anticipated Cebu LRT is now being proposed in Congress. This is a good sign of progress in Cebu since commuters have now more alternatives in transportation. And also traffic congestions will be ebb out once this will be materialized. Kudus to Rep. EDDIGUL! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

$1-B light rail system for Cebu proposed


A Cebuano lawmaker has filed a bill proposing to establish a $1-billion new light rail transport (LRT) system in Metro Cebu.

"There is no argument that Metro Cebu desperately needs an efficient and reliable LRT system to keep pace with rapid population growth and economic expansion," Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said.

This need would be addressed in a big way by a fast, safe, convenient and economical LRT system, said Gullas, a former Cebu provincial governor.

"Owing to severe congestion, we now have motor vehicles running 10 to 15 kilometers per hour in many parts of Metro Cebu," Gullas lamented.

Metro Cebu covers the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay and the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Cordova.

Under House Bill 3006, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) would be mandated to prepare and execute a plan to establish and operate the LRT system.

The DOTC would be tasked to draw up feasibility and engineering studies. It would then come up with a plan to acquire the sites, equipment, materials and services for the project.

Project funding would be included in the national budget.

The DOTC actually already has a plan to build a $1-billion LRT system in Metro Cebu. But project implementation lacks visibility.

The DOTC earlier forged a build-operate-transfer agreement with the AMA Group Holdings Corp. for the construction of a 71-kilometer LRT system that would run through Metro Cebu from the municipality of Carcar in the south to Danao City in the north.

Phase 1 would start from Talisay to Mandaue with Cebu City as center of the main line. Phase 2 would extend the main line farther south from Talisay down to Carcar. Phase 3 would stretch the main line farther north from Mandaue up to Danao.

However, project execution remains unclear mainly because the DOTC is not committed to award the project to AMA. The department said it has to get lower offers from other contractors then AMA can then match the best offer.

This, even as the Cebu provincial board has been prodding the DOTC to expedite its detailed study on the viability of the project.

Despite the construction of skywalks and flyovers, the board noted that congestion has not eased because of the continuing surge in traffic volume and the unsound road conditions.

Traffic congestion in Metro Cebu is heaviest for motor vehicles plying the Talisay-Cebu-Mandaue routes and vice versa.

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/news200509250701.htm

[boy_kotong]

Nindot unta kung masugdan na ni by next year...

[7DMM]

nindot sad pero prepare ta for years of traffic jam due to its construction and rerouting.i miss riding the MRT.my favorite transpo while i was still leaving in manila

[pandisal]

ang padung opon? ... hasta padulong pa gyud sa mga beaches... para wala na hastle mag balhin2x gikan jeepney, to 3cycle... :P

[tolstoi]

expect rallys/strike from NADSU and other transpo groups

[boy_kotong]

Sakto jud, rally na pud na. Mao lagi na kapait, kay kung naa buhaton na project ang gobyerno na maka tabang sa mga tao, naa gihapon mu reklamo.

This project is a sign na improve na gyud ang Cebu. Maybe 5 to 10 years from now, ma compete na nato ang manila in terms of economic development. :mrgreen:

[Slerz]

crtesy of Jimbu of Skyscrapercity.com

Cttee okays mass rail transit system in Cebu
Committee Source: RAILWAYS AND RO-RO SYSTEMS

TO ENSURE that the basic infrastructures keep pace with Cebu’s increasing population and fast-paced economic life, two measures proposing to establish a rail-based mass transit system in Cebu City and Metro Cebu were approved in principle by the Committee on Railways and Ro-Ro (Roll On Roll Off) Systems under Representative Augusto Baculio (2nd District, Misamis Oriental).

House Bills 56 and 3006, which the body agreed to consolidate, were filed respectively by Deputy Speaker Raul Del Mar (1st District, Cebu City) and Rep. Eduardo Gullas (1st District, Cebu). Both bills seek the construction and operation of a light rail transport (LRT) in Cebu City and Metro Cebu. The LRT is seen to address the worsening traffic situation in Cebu and improve the mobility of the greater majority of the people.

As to the type of train to be used, Herman Fiddler of Siemens Transportation System said that the train would look like a modern tramvia that is being used in Houston, Texas and San Diego, California.

So it would look like this, the one in Houston, Texas:
[img width=518 height=342]http://world.nycsubway.org/img/logo/title-houston.jpg[/img]
[img width=512 height=384]http://www.lightrailnow.org/images/hou-lrt-2car-trn-main-st-jan2004_m-harrington.jpg[/img]
[img width=400 height=300]http://www.quaderns.net/fotos/tramvia.jpg[/img]

[boy_kotong]

Nindot kung inani... pero gagmay man ang atong mga dalan... So mag road widening pa sila?

[tolstoi]

@kotong..pag year 2000 pa ang govt nag sugod ug acquire sa right of way..kani nalang bill ang gihulat.

http://www.ngkhai.com/pointcebu/devproj/lrt.htm

@slerz..very nice input bai..lupigan na gyud ang MRT ana sa manila kung madayon ni.

[arnoldsa]

If the LRT would be similar to the one in the picture posted by Slerz, then it would be far more nice kay "limpyo" kaayo tana-awon... NO NEED for road widening because the tracks itself are part of the road so maagi-an gihapon ug mga sakyanan " as long as wala pa pod mu-agi ang train.." It's very similar to the trams in San Francisco or Hongkong... No need also for construction of dusty and dirty looking overpasses for the trains.... But anyway, what's important is masugdan na unta ni "before the 13th Congress Ends" as what Eddigul wants......WE BADLY need it jud considering that Cebu is the second largest city outside Manila.........hehehehe

[Slerz]

really much way better that Manila... Kani nalang ang kuwang sa Cebu to be a very competitive Metropolitan Center worldwide.

[arnoldsa]

murag mas naa pa ni chance madayon ang LRT kaysa sa megadome... hehehe..

[Slerz]

I agree arnold

[boy_kotong]

Mauna man jud tingali nang LRT. Once naa na tingali ang LRT sugdan na nila ang megadome.

[samokan]

wow this is good news, i hope na lang pod unta nga dili mosulod ang corruption ani nga project. With this project also, ma-lessen sab ang air pollution