Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte has expressed concern over the scheduled opening of a segment of the Davao City Coastal Road, describing it as premature since the project remains unfinished. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) opened two of the four lanes of the Coastal Road-Roxas exit to motorists, despite the project not being completed. According to Duterte, the Segment B of the coastal road remains under DPWH’s jurisdiction as it has not been officially turned over to the local government unit (LGU) due to its unfinished status. The city’s local chief executive noted that all four lanes are scheduled for completion by March 2026, but an inspection by the Davao City Road Project Advisory and Monitoring Board found that only two lanes are nearing completion, and streetlights, safety features, and traffic signages at the Roxas Exit have yet to be installed. Duterte warned that the integrity and safety of public roads must not be compromised due to a carelessly set deadline and reminded the public to anticipate possible traffic congestion in the area. He also criticized DPWH, stating that if anything happens to the public in that area due to inadequate streetlights and safety measures, it would be the responsibility of DPWH. The opening of Segment B was initially scheduled for December 15, 2025, but was moved to December 16 due to safety concerns, and will be open to the public daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. only. The segment covers the stretch from the Times Beach Rotonda to the Roxas Exit and includes the Bucana Bridge, which was built using funds from a China aid grant. Authorities expect that the opening of the coastal road will help divert traffic from Quimpo Boulevard and Quezon Boulevard, but pedestrians are temporarily prohibited from using the bridge due to ongoing electrical testing at the Bucana Bridge.
