Heavy traffic no more? Ban-Tal skyway project unveiled

Local

A LONG-AWAITED solution to the gridlock choking the Banilad–Talamban corridor may finally be on the horizon.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, on Thursday, Oct. 16, unveiled plans for a Banilad-Talamban (Ban-Tal) Skyway, a public-private partnership (PPP) project envisioned to decongest one of Cebu City’s most gridlocked corridors.

The proposal, which forms part of the city’s Cebu City 2035 vision, aims to create a “smart, sustainable, and inclusive” urban future through transformative

infrastructure.

Presenting his administration’s accomplishments in his first 100 days, Archival said the Ban-Tal Skyway is among the flagship initiatives being pursued under Cebu City 2035: Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive, a long-term development roadmap.

The planned elevated road is envisioned to run along the Banilad-Talamban corridor, linking two of the most densely populated and economically active districts in the city.

The route currently serves an estimated 65,000 vehicles during the morning rush hours, according to data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), with numbers surging to 80,000 by late afternoon.

For years, Ban-Tal has been notorious for traffic bottlenecks caused by narrow lanes, dense residential zones, and a high volume of public utility vehicles and motorcycles.

City officials describe the project as a “long-term traffic solution” that complements current short-term interventions being carried out by the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), including rerouting schemes, stricter truck bans, and the creation of discipline zones in congested areas.

Even before the skyway plan, the city had intensified traffic enforcement along Ban-Tal. CCTO head Racquel Arce said her office began rerouting public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and enforcing a stricter truck ban earlier this year to lay the groundwork for a broader, sustainable solution.

“Kung nakabantay mo, two weeks nami nga nag-deploy ug personnel diha sa BanTal — that’s Banilad, Talamban, Pit-os. Gitawag gyud na nato nga discipline zone, diin tanang balaod sa trapiko sa Sugbo atong hugtan dihang dapita,” Arce said earlier.

As part of the ongoing adjustments, all PUJs bound for Tintay are now rerouted to Highway 77, avoiding the Talamban Gym junction during rush hours. A citywide truck ban, which includes even garbage trucks and delivery vehicles, has also been implemented to reduce road obstruction.

Assistant CCTO head Kent Francisco Jongoy said that while legal and technical issues have been raised about existing ordinances, stricter enforcement and coordination with private operators are already improving road behavior.

“Dali ra kaayo ta makaabot kung walay magpa-badlong, walay road crash, ug kung kita tanan motuman sa lagda sa kadalanan,” Jongoy said.

While details of the Ban-Tal Skyway PPP have yet to be finalized, the city is reportedly studying various partnership models to balance public interest with private investment.

Urban planners say the proposed skyway could significantly cut travel time between Banilad and Talamban, a stretch that currently takes 40 minutes to over an hour during peak periods, to less than 15 minutes once completed.(TGP)