Conditional re-route scheme considered for BanTal area
‘ONE WAY ONLY’
Under a proposed re-route scheme, the Ma. Luisa flyover will only be used for vehicles coming from Talamban and heading to the city in the morning. Vehicles bound for Talamban will be directed to use the bypass road on the side to A.S Fortuna Street. (CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON)
Go out early. Plan your route. Think cool thoughts and don’t forget to pray.
These words of advice were given by Joy Tumulak, operations chief of the Cebu City Traffic Operations (Citom) to city residents expecting heavy traffic as they return to class and work today.
“We advise drivers or motorists, dili magdali-dali (not to rush),” Tumulak said, adding that Citom expects moderate to heavy traffic today following the long holiday weekend.
While several traffic schemes were already in place since last month, recently installed Citom executive director Victor Caindec said they will consider a conditional “one way re-routing” in the A.S. Fortuna or Ma. Luisa flyover at the Banilad-Talamban (BanTal) road.
“The flyover will have only one way traffic based on which flow will be heavy. In the morning, it will be biased to traffic going to the city and vice versa in the evening,” Caindec said.
Less disruptive
He said they’re planning to implement this scheme during peak hours at 6-9 a.m and 4-7 p.m.
Vehicles who won’t be allowed to go through the flyover will have to use the bypass road below the flyover. It was supposed to be implemented last December 5.
But Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama called it off after seeing that the scheme would worsen the congestion at the BanTal corridor and AS Fortuna Street.
“The mayor want(ed) to inspect the area again to see if we can adopt a scheme that is less disruptive,” Caindec said. Rama is expected to inspect the BanTal area sometime this week.
Barriers
To cushion the effects of the traffic congestion, Tumulak said Citom will make sure that enforcers are visible in intersections.
These traffic enforcers will coordinate with each other in monitoring traffic flow in their respective areas and nearby intersections by radio, Tumulak said.
If necessary, Citom will disable the traffic lines and personnel will manually conduct traffic in their assigned intersection. This was implemented a few days before Christmas.
All other road experiments that Citom started will continue to stay in place, Tumulak added.
This includes the scheduled no left-turn along BanTal, physical barriers and railings along Salinas Drive to prevent a bottleneck near Waterfront Hotel and IT Park and the island near Robinson’s Mall.
New jeepney stop
The railings prevent vehicles from directly turning left to Ramos St. and force them to go through the Fuente Osmeña rotunda first.
Caindec said the road parking scheme along Ramos St., from Kan-irag is changed from perpendicular to parallel parking along with Echavez Extension across the Ramos public market.
Parking won’t be allowed at the street across Velez hospital. The depressed section will be used as a new jeepney stop area, Tumulak said.
He said the road parking scheme in Fuente Osmeña will also be changed soon.
Citom also enforced a no-left turn policy for vehicles who want to go to Ayala from Mactan Road on MJ Cuenco Ave.
Alternative
“They also can’t turn left to MJ Cuenco except for passenger jeepneys with routes on the area,” Tumulak said.
Motorists from MJ Cuenco are advised to take General Maxilom and use Sorsogon road to enter Ayala or the Cebu Business Park.
“Also, if you are coming from Gen. Maxilom going to Ayala or the business park, they can go straight on Maxilom and take a left to Sorsogon road as an alternative to taking Gorordo,” Caindec said.
Caindec also said Citom moved into the building formerly occupied by Cebu City Hall’s Department of Public Services (DPS) near the Ramos public market.
Only the controls of the city’s traffic light system as well as some engineering equipment are at the old office along N. Bacalso Ave.
After Sinulog
The office transfer was ordered by Mayor Rama last month.
The city plans to use the Citom office to expand the operations of the makeshift Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
The hospital is currently operating at the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 compound which is just beside the Citom office. Caindec said they intend to transfer the remaining equipment soon.
“But we need to do it in a way it won’t disrupt operations. Maybe after Sinulog,” he said.
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