An ongoing road widening project in Barangay Talamban is set to affect around 320 businesses and residential properties. Cebu City officials hope this major expansion will finally ease the heavy traffic congestion in one of the city's busiest northern corridors.
Leaders inspect the long-awaited project
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival and Cebu City Councilor Alvin Arcilla led an inspection of the project site on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The visit allowed them to check on the progress of the three-phase road widening project, which will eventually stretch from Barangay Talamban all the way to Barangay Bacayan.
Mayor Archival announced that construction for the first phase is already moving forward. The Cebu City Government is targeting December 2026 for its completion. This year's road expansion and drainage works are funded by a P60-million allocation from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The road widening has actually been planned for more than ten years to address the worsening traffic jams in the area, which is home to many housing developments and schools.
“Talamban is one of the areas where traffic is very heavy. It has a lot of subdivisions and many schools,” Archival said.
He explained that while the project had long been marked as a priority, it was never aggressively pushed forward in the past despite having the funds available. He credited Councilor Arcilla for successfully pushing to get the project implemented.
Expanding the road and clearing the way
The existing road, which is currently about 15 meters wide, will be expanded to 20 meters. Once finished, it will be converted into a four-lane road featuring sidewalks and drainage systems on both sides to help prevent flooding.
The first phase of the project will cover an 800-meter stretch from the Talamban Covered Court to the intersection leading to Maryville Subdivision in Sitio Tigbao, near the Bulhao area.
Out of the estimated 320 structures that will be impacted across the entire project, about 80 shops and properties are affected by this first phase alone. Right now, around 30 house-and-lot properties are going through legal acquisition proceedings so the city can secure the necessary right-of-way.
Rising land values and street obstructions
Mayor Archival noted that one of the biggest challenges of the project has been getting property owners to cooperate when their buildings and lots block the planned expansion area.
Councilor Arcilla added that rising land values have also made things more difficult. When he first proposed the road widening during a previous term in office, property appraisal rates were only around P6,000 per square meter. Today, those prices have doubled to about P12,000 per square meter. Arcilla confirmed that the road width being built in Talamban Proper will be used for the upcoming sections toward Sitio Pitos as well.
During the site inspection, Mayor Archival ordered the immediate removal of any obstructions that could slow down construction. Officials spotted abandoned cars, motorcycles, and damaged vehicles sitting on parts of the road right-of-way.
Archival instructed the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to notify the owners to move these vehicles. He warned that if the owners do not clear them out, the government will transfer the vehicles to a storage facility so that construction can continue without any delays.
Moving electric poles for next phases
Meanwhile, the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) has already started preparing to move the electric poles affected by the wider road. Most of the utility relocation work in the area is already finished, with only a few poles left to be moved near the sports complex and certain road corners.
As the first phase moves ahead, the local government is already looking forward to the future of the corridor. Cebu City expects to receive an additional P40-million allocation next year to support the upcoming phases of the project, bringing relief closer for thousands of daily commuters.
