A French technical support consultant hired by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in the Philippines is revalidating the detailed engineering design made by former Korean consultants for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Cebu City.

Even though Kunhwa Engineering and Consultancy has already prepared a detailed engineering design for the BRT project in Cebu City, the French consultant will include the “basket of solutions” provided by the DoTr and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas such as providing an Integrated Inter-Modal Transport System (IITS) into the design.

The inclusion of the IITS in BRT design will make way for the establishment of a Light Rail Transit (LRT), Mono Rail Transit (MRT), point-to-point bus system and Intelligent Transportation System.

The Php16.3 billion (US$310.55 million) project will be implemented phase by phase. The 23-kilometer route of the BRT will start from Barangay Bulacao in Cebu City and will traverse Natalio Bacalso Avenue, South Road Properties, Osmeña Boulevard, N. Escario Street and Governor Cuenco Avenue.

The new technical support consultant is tasked to find major thoroughfares in Cebu City, such as the South Road Properties, where they could start implementing the project’s first phase.

If the design will be finalized by the first quarter of 2019, construction of the BRT system’s infrastructure will start in the second quarter of the same year.