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Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

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#1 ·
RP's 9th LRT system eyed for Cebu
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007 | TRANSPORTATION


MANILA (PNA) - If plans don't miscarry, Cebu will soon have a modern, efficient and reliable light rail transit (LRT) system to keep pace with rapid population growth and economic expansion.

Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas has filed House Bill 310, seeking the establishment of the province's first LRT system, in order to ease heavy motor vehicle traffic congestion in one of the country's fastest-growing urban hubs.

"There is no question Cebu desperately needs a fast, safe, convenient and economical LRT system," Gullas, a former Cebu provincial governor, said.

"This is the best time for the government to invest in a new LRT system for Cebu, with the peso strengthening against the US dollar," Gullas said.

"Two years ago, it would have cost us P55 billion to put together a US$ 1-billion LRT system. Now, it would cost us only P46 billion to put up the same project," he added.

Gullas' initiative came as the national government prepared to reinforce Cebu's infrastructure support under the Central Philippines Investment Program.

Under the program, Malacañang approved some P60.8-billion worth of fresh public infrastructure spending for Cebu up to 2010.

Of the amount, more than half or P33 billion would be initially allocated for the proposed Metro Cebu Mass Transportation System (MCMTS), thus matching Gullas' initiative.

The MCMTS involves the construction of a modern railway network from Talisay City to the Municipality of Consolacion for the first phase, and from Talisay to Carcar City and Consolacion to Danao City for the second phase.

The system would be the country's ninth and the first outside Metro Manila, which now has eight LRT channels that are either fully operational, under construction, or in the drawing boards.

Under Gullas' bill, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) would be required to prepare and execute a plan to establish and operate the new LRT system.

The DOTC actually already has an initial plan to build a US$ 1-billion LRT system for Metro Cebu.

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

However, project execution has been stalled, as the DOTC has found it difficult to get lower offers from other private contractors.

Meanwhile, the Central Philippines Investment Program also includes P18.88 billion for Cebu's seaports; P6.3 billion for Central Visayas' roads and bridges; P1.9 billion for the region's tourism infrastructure; and P749 million for airports. (PNA)

DCT/PR/rsm
 
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#4 ·
^^ Oo nga,Erap's time yata yun when Cebu mass transit sytem was planned along with Davao LRT. Alam ko kasi there has been groups in Cebi dati that was Pushing for a Curitiba like rapid bus sytem for Cebu(kamukha rin siya ng transjakarta) when the supposed five year ODA planned loan was being outlined. Nagkanda letche letche yata yung initial plan na yun because the Engineers and the politicians can't decide on the actual designs and cost of the project proposals..hayun napurnada!
 
#7 ·
the best ever news so far i heard this year. :banana:
 
#12 ·
better if they build a superhighway from Daan BANTAYAN to Santander... i can't find any economic benefits Cebu will get from the LRT system because it is only station to station (only benefits Metro Cebu) and Cebu's ridership is very small (the system will be bankrupt)...

we must cut travel time going to other parts of the island to entice more investors because these is what we really need... if ever we want Cebu to be progressive we must also invest our money wisely and not just waste it just for the sake of having a system that doesn't work... :cheers: let us government closer to the people in the whole island.
 
#15 · (Edited)
we don't need a rail system sinj... not everyone can use the system, there are a lot of feasible means to transport goods and people from one place to another, and in the case of Cebu were goods are transported in a specific place and not just a station... freight trucks, buses and cars are the common types of transport which are ideal to an island province like ours...

haven't we learned from manila? the MRT/LRT system is not even earning, how much more here in Cebu... we must look further, take for example Germany's autobahn and USA Inter-state highways... they are the backbone of their economies...:)

as i have said before, we must not waste people's money on systems that won't work... we need to fully utilize our resources on something that everyone can use feasibly, economically, and suitable to our needs.

the highway system could be the backbone for Cebu's economic growth as we pursue to become the only Province-wide economic zone. :cheers:
 
#19 ·
better or worser?



not really, just look at the MRT projects in manila. it eats millions of subsidies in a day. poor filipino taxpayers. man, you don't call that better investment do you? :bash:

it's much better that the government is tying with private sectors under the BTO scheme. just look at the quality service they provide at NLEX. ^^
 
#21 ·
BRT's of Colombia



I think Cebu will be better off with this kind of Mass transport.Aside from being a lot more cheaper.It's more easier to build and not blocking nice views.
I hope Cebu stops copying Imperial Manila.Specially it's urban mistakes.
(Pics courtesy of Senor Pancho-Muchas gracias Senor)
 
#22 ·
^^ Nah. I think an overhead LRT is still better. They just need to find a way to keep it from completely covering the entire street AND sidewalk underneath it. I've seen it before here in Los Angeles. I don't think you would want to be in that bus in the middle of rush hour. I'm sure some idiot will go on that lane even if it was for buses only. .... and enough with the silly "imperial" Manila epithets. C'mon. Have some love with your fellow kababayans up north. Sure the capital has made its mistakes (ok.. a lot of mistakes. hahahaha) and Cebu will be able to learn from them.
 
#23 ·
^^ furthermore, most of cebu's roads are narrow... definitely not feasible for a BRT system if it were to transverse major thoroughfares that barely reach 4 lanes.
 
#24 ·
I just looked at Google Earth and it looks like Cebu will have to widen its lanes or face the same traffic problems as Manila. If most of the streets really are barely more than 4 lanes then its roads are not ready to handle a city three or more times the current population let alone handle a overhead LRT. I hope no one's house or business here is not in the way of any future road widening.
 
#29 ·
More on BRT's




Cebu is too small to have big highways.BRT's are more practical.With highways you only promote more cars,it's good if you can afford it.But if not,like most of us Cebuanos,then a comprehensive mass transpo is needed.BRT's can run on Cocodiesel or LPG's which can be a boon to the environment and air quality of Cebu,which is already choked up by private cars and jeepneys.(Let's see if those rude drivers can jump over these concrete barriers.wasak ang sasakyan mo!)
 
#34 ·
wala lang.....lurk lang! ah basta kung ano ang ok para sa Cebu..dun ako! MRT, LRT, BRT, Highway or Expressways.....Sana lahat yun! Widen the roads, build up expressways and decent highways, plus may MRT para mas mabilis ang transportation for Cebuanos who do not have cars like moi :)
 
#36 ·
^^ Practically Cebu City layout is so old, and I think it was designed in late 19th Century.. Practically, a heavy railway system is really suitable for Cebu City. If it is easy to acquire ROW, then it's good for it but if it takes too long to do it, I suggest the government must first build an elevated railways system in the likelyhood of LRT (Megatren), not the Metrotren and not even the Oldest LRT1. Megatren is superb and can run in heavy passenger volume plus interchangeable formation of the cars. Though, Cebu also have wide avenues, LRT is simply the construction of pillars at the center of these wide avenues very much similar to the one done in Megatren....
 
#37 ·
^^ i hate railways... they are an eyesore... look at manila , it would ruin our province look.. better if they make a subway or sumthing... and put many trees around it.:lol:

unlike manila, very2x hot in manila, super congested manila,.. just visit areas near Lrt, MRt in manila... its hot hot :) lets folow skorea, singapore, hongkong, Japan the Cool Hightech Cities
 
#38 · (Edited)
Highways and rail system I'm sure it will benefit all the cebuanos as both will facilitate more growth in Cebu economy. Highways can be 4 laners just like NLEX, it will help a great deal as far as shortening the travel time. Cebu might not need superhighways about the size of San Francisco freeway because it is not as heavily populated like the latter.




You think LRTs are ugly? I think they really are nice looking and very modern, other developed countries have them too. Cebu city is too small to have a subway really besides, it's expensive and will take 2 or 3 times longer to dig a tunnel then build a rail system underneath, besides, the Philippines is also within the Pacific rim of fire, I'm not sure if it's really wise. Subways are really nothing to be proud of if you are to ask me. They are not really hightech. Now, if it's a monorail for Cebu, I think that would be perfect just in Cebu proper alone then Link it with other rail system leading towards different provinces of Cebu Island, if that is possible.
 
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