After getting included for several years in the government's project pipeline, construction work for the country's first-ever bus rapid transit system is finally getting its green light.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. together with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has led the formal groundbreaking ceremony for Package 1 of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project.
Package 1 of the PHP 16.3-billion Cebu BRT consists of the construction of a 2.38-kilometer Segregated Bus Lane and 1.15 kilometers of Pedestrian Improvement from Link to the Port, and with four Bus Stations located at Cebu South Bus Terminal, Cebu Normal University and around Fuente Osmeña Circle and Cebu Provincial Capitol.
The whole Cebu BRT involves 13.18 kilometers of segregated lanes with 17 stations, one depot, and one trunk terminal from South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City’s south district to the IT park in the north district, traversing through Cebu City, Talisay City, and the Cebu province. The mass transit also includes a 22.1-kilometer Feeder Line System, which will run over mixed traffic, with two feeder terminals and 76 bus stops across the province of Cebu.
According to Sec. Jaime Bautista, the project was realized through the financing support of the World Bank and the French Development Agency, and the local government of Cebu City. The DOTr Secretary added the Cebu BRT will bring multiple benefits to residents of Metro Cebu by ensuring total mobility while alleviating traffic in the metropolis.
DOTr says the BRT will be partially operable by the 4th quarter of 2023 before becoming fully operational by the 2nd quarter of 2025.
