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The two bridges linking Mactan Island to the Cebu mainland will soon become the first WiFi enabled and most high-tech bridges in the country with the approval of the P4.5 million worth of expansion and upgrading of the present "state-of-the-art" Traffic and Security Management System (TSMS) facility installed at the old Mandaue-Mactan bridge and the newer Marcelo Fernan bridge.

The Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board recently approved the expansion and upgrading of the present system which will include the addition of four fixed security cameras; 28 more PTZ cameras; two IP-PA system; four spotlights; four WiFi systems for the bridges and eight flood lamps and fiber optic infrastructure.

Marlene Rodriguez, regional director of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) 7, reported that the current TSMS installed at the two bridges have limitations in terms of clarity in reading and detecting car plate numbers and there are several blind spots within and underneath the bridges.

Rodriguez said it does not also have an alert system that could forewarn concerned agencies in cases of emergencies and there are not enough cameras and spotlights underneath the bridges.

“We proposed to expand and upgrade the security and alert system to include 32 more cameras; 8 more on top and 8 beneath the bridges,” Rodriguez added.

She said this means there will be no more blind spots underneath the bridges and promotes redundancy.

“We will also install extra floodlights and spotlights as well as beam detectors for approaching vessels,” she said.

Public address system that includes microphones that can be used as intercoms will also be added to the existing system.

The new TSMS will be in fiber optic connections due to the increase in bandwidth requirements of the additional cameras. It will be resistant to dust, rust, humidity and lightning.

With the expansion and upgrading of the present TSMS, the bridge Board stands to save about P2.550M per year expenses for the payment of the services of 15 security guards posted at the two bridges. - PNA

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