First overpass in Gensan breaks ground

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (13 January 2015) - Gensan will soon have its first pedestrian overpass.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), City Mayor Ronnel Rivera, and other local government officials spearheaded the ground-breaking ceremony of the footbridge in Barangay Calumpang Friday (January 9).

The overpass will be constructed at the corner of Cahilsot and the National Highway and will have an estimated length of 30 ft. It will also follow the standard vertical clearance of 5.6 meters so that big trucks can pass underneath it.

It was strategically positioned in the said area as many students from nearby schools such as General Santos City National High School (GSCNHS) are daily exposed to road hazards as they cross the highway.

Vehicular accidents are also common in the area prompting the necessity of a footbridge.

Mayor Rivera expressed his delight for the construction of the overpass.

“Now, we can have a peace of mind knowing that our children are safe while they cross the streets,” Mayor Rivera said.

“Actually, we also have talks with the DPWH for the construction of two other footbridges. One will be at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University area and the other one will be placed adjacent to St. Elizabeth Hospital,” Mayor Rivera added.

He also pointed out that the construction of the footbridges is another way to ease traffic in the city.

It will take 142 days before the footbridge will be finished, starting January 12.

Engr. Pio Lumungsod, DPWH Gensan head, said the total allocated budget for the project is P12.2 million, but winning bidder Reydan Builders had it lowered to only P11.9 million.

“The budget was taken from the Motor Vehicle User Charge (MVUC) which is managed by the Road Board of the DPWH,” Lumungsod said.

“I am really glad that the local government of Gensan is really working hand-in-hand with us in our projects, especially on the road constructions and street-lighting,” the engineer said.

Aside from the footbridges, the DPWH is also in partner with the city government for the street-lighting of the dark city routes such as in Katangawan and Apopong.

For the past year alone, 617 LED street lights were already installed by the DPWH, City Engineers’ Office (CEO), and SOCOTECO II in the main routes in the city: 180 in the DARBCI-Hadano Park junction; 247 in the Lagao to Katangawan stretch; and 190 in the Lagao to Katangawan road.

The sum of P47M was allocated by Mayor Rivera with the help of the Sangguniang Panglunsod for the street lighting. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John M. Lagare)