Transit tunnel proposed for Davao City’s public transport

This is a Seattle's Transit Tunnel. Photo credit to the owner.

DAVAO CITY

 → Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said a Japan-based government agency offered to help the City Government of Davao construct a public transit tunnel for a sustainable transportation in the metropolis.

Duterte said the agency that manifested the proposal of putting another highway in the city is the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which will send in some technical personnel by May here.

He said the transit tunnel will soon be established in the hinterland areas of the city.

"It's a great plan and I hope it would materialize. It would help Davao tremendously," Duterte said.
The city mayor recalled that the Diversion Road used to be wide and that the flow of traffic to the city was smooth. But now, he said, traffic congestion happens due to rapid urbanization.

"The Jica ingon sila tabangan ta nila maghimo ug dalan. Bag-o na pud nga diversion, medyo parallel lang anang diversion diha karon (The JICA said they will help us. A new diversion road, parallel to the existing one)," he said.

When the technical team arrives here in May, Duterte said he and his team will also go to Japan to observe how this transit tunnel works and how to maintain it.

"I think we will be the first to have it here in Mindanao," Duterte said, adding that once the project will be pursued, the city will finance it through a soft loan.

"Ang ika-tulong mayor ang mag-inaugurate ana (The third mayor after my term will inaugurate it)," he said.

Duterte also said he is not setting aside the idea of putting up a railway as a means of public transportation here.

"Eventually, mas maayo sila diretsuhon na lang ug railway. It would be a small and humble one. Just a little train somewhere there para lang naay space diha (Railways would be better)," he said.

source: Sunstar Davao