Former Negros Occidental Gov. Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela yesterday said the proposed construction of additional flyovers in Bacolod City should be studied carefully to see if this can help resolve the traffic problem in the city.

Coscolluela said traffic is a problem in Bacolod. It is a waste in gasoline and productive time of the people. So if the flyover can help resolve the traffic problem in Bacolod, then, definitely, it has to be studied thoroughly.

He said wherever the flyover is being proposed to be constructed, he believes a study has been made on the volume of traffic, the implication of road widening, and what business establishments will be affected. “And, over all, we should think in terms of what is best for the city,” he added.

Coscolluela said Bacolod is a fast-growing city. “If the people or businessmen complain about the traffic mess, we will have difficulty pushing for furtherinvestment,” he said. Part of his service in the province, is to push local government to become friendly and competitive, he added.

DROP IN COMPETITIVE RATING

“We all know that the rating of Bacolod has dropped in the Competitive Cities list. We want to bring Bacolod back to the top rank of the 10 Most Competitive Cities and one of that is our orderly traffic,” Coscolluela said.

Coscoluella, meanwhile, dispelled speculations that he is being urged by some sectors to run for mayor of Bacolod City because of the continuing conflict between Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia and Mayor Monico Puentevella, saying that he is not a voter of the city.

If there is at all a possibility that the flyover can help to solve the traffic problem, then they have to look at it very carefully, he said.

Frank Carbon said he believes there is no urgent need to construct a third flyover in Bacolod especially because they have not yet seen a pre-feasibility study.

The Department of Public Works and Highways-Bacolod District Engineering Office conducted yesterday a revalidation of an earlier traffic volume count it made along the Burgos-Circumferential Road and Magsaysay-Araneta junction.

Based on the traffic volume count it had conducted, the average daily traffic passing through Burgos-Circumferential Roads towards the south direction is about 20,577; to the north - 9,826; to the east - 10,779 and to the west – 13,545.

The average daily traffic passing through Magsaysay-Araneta streets towards the north is about 13,730; to the south - 20,861; to the west – 6,644; and to the east -5,556.

UNEMPLEMENTED PROJECT

Puentevella again claimed, during a press conference yesterday, that the proposed Magsaysay-Araneta flyover was his project when he was yet congressman and that it was not implemented because Leonardia did not approve it, when he was yet mayor. “It is my project that no one can claim,” he said.

Leonardia said the documents on file at the DPWH for the Magsaysay-Araneta flyover carries his signature. If he had opposed the projects, even the flyover in Bata would not have been there because the City Development Council approved when he was the mayor.

Records showed that it was in 2004 when the DPWH chose Bacolod to be a recipient of the flyover project.

During the public consultation Wednesday, Puentevella showed strong opposition to the construction of a flyover at Burgos Street and Circumferential Road, as well as some businessmen who believe that their businesses will be affected.

Henry Medina of Woodfields Consultants Inc., said a recent feasibility study on the proposed Burgos-Circumferential Road flyover, as well as its economic internal rate of return, showed that it has qualified to be a feasible project.

However, Puentevella asked the DPWH during the consultation to start the construction of the proposed Magsaysay-Circumferential Road flyover, that was welcomed by most residents in the area.

Leonardia said there are only 10 flyover projects approved by the government and funded through a loan. Four of them have already been constructed, including the one in Bata.

TWO OUT OF SIX

Of the remaining six flyovers, two more are being offered to Bacolod with a total cost of about P700 million, he said.

If these will not be constructed in Bacolod, DPWH will just give them to other cities, Leonardia said.

And since the project was funded through a loan by the Philippine government, even if the flyovers will be constructed elsewhere, the taxpayers of Bacolod and Negros Occidental will still pay for them in terms of taxes, he added.

CONSULTATION

The consultation was conducted by DPWH central office officials led by Elmo Atillano of the Project Preparation Division of Planning Service, Rosemarie del Rosario, chief of Environment Management Specialist Division; Hector Sales of Matiere/Woodfield Consultant, Inc.; Rory Caguimbal, WCI scientist; Sadat Badrobin of UPMO; DPWH Bacolod District Engineer Abraham Villareal, and assistant District Engineer Heminio Gulmatico.*CGS

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