17 Bus Stations and More: What to Expect From Cebu's First Mass Transit System
It's set to partially operate by the third quarter of 2023.
(SPOT.ph) Cebu’s first mass transit system is finally in the works to provide “an affordable, reliable, efficient, and safe” public transportation system in the highly urbanized metro, according to the Department of Transportation.
The Cebu Bus Rapid Transit has faced a decade of delays from feasibility studies, but now President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to ensure that the P16-billion project is partially operational by the fourth quarter of 2023 and fully operational by the second quarter of 2025.
“I think that if we start operations in December, that will be the best possible Christmas gift that we can give to Cebu,” Marcos said during the CBRT Package 1 ceremony.
Once finished, the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will service up to 60,000 daily passengers with 83 buses under partial operations, and up to 160,000 daily passengers in full operations.
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Everything you need to know about the Cebu BRT
The Cebu BRT is a 13.8-kilometer bus rapid transit lane with 17 stations, one depot, and one trunk terminal from South Road Properties to IT Park, according to the DOTr. The 9.3-hectare project is funded by the World Bank and the French Development Agency and will be constructed in three phases.
It will have a total of 76 bus stops across the province, with CBRT buses running on the centermost lanes, while the rest of the lanes are for mixed-use traffic.
Besides improving road congestion, the Cebu BRT will also be complemented by sidewalk bus stops for three routes: Cebu IT Park-Talamban, Mambaling-Bulacao, and Talisay-SRP.
The proposal for a Cebu BRT surfaced as early as 1996, with formal plans taking shape in 2008. Procurement began in 2016, but the project was met with conflict from experts and officials who failed to agree on route alignments.
Finally, the construction of Cebu BRT started from 2019, until it was put on hold in 2021 after the ravages of Typhoon Odette and the global pandemic.
The Cebu BRT Construction Timeline in Packages
Package 1
Package 1 of the Cebu BRT covers the construction of a 2.38-kilometer bus lane with four stations located at Cebu South Bus Terminal, Cebu Normal University and around Fuente Osmeña Circle and Cebu Provincial Capitol.
A 1.15-kilometer pedestrian improvement from N. Bacalso corner Osmeña Boulevard to Plaza Independencia will be built alongside the bus lanes.
The first phase broke ground on Monday, February 27. During the ceremony, Marcos urged the DOTr to “ensure just compensation to the property owners” and “relocate the affected informal settler families” who will be affected by the 9.3-hectare Cebu BRT project.
Package 2
Package 2 of the Cebu BRT covers the 10.8-kilometer construction of 13 bus stations, one roundabout facility in IT Park, and one bus terminal and one depot in SRP. Engineering design studies are still being finalized, with the DOTr having only recently opened the bid for Package 2 of the Cebu BRT.
Package 3
Package 3 of the Cebu BRT covers the construction of the 22.1-kilometer feeder route. Cebu Daily News reported that there will be 76 bus stops, some of which will serve as feeder terminals in Cebu City and Talisay City. Procurement of Package 3 will be tackled after Package 2.
You can take a sneak peek into the DOTr’s plans as of May 2021 below.
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