UN Avenue in Mandaue City now a no stopping, no jaywalking zone

MANDAUE City’s UN Avenue will already be a no stopping and no jaywalking zone starting today, October 18 to address traffic congestion in the area.

There are only two PUJ loading and unloading areas along the whole stretch of UN Avenue – one at the PUJ Terminal of Pacific Mall and another at the corner of DM Cortes and UN Avenue, before reaching the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

Buses has only one loading and unloading area located at a pocket lane near Pacific Mall. These public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and bus loading and unloading areas are located on pocket lanes and not on the road to give a smoother flow of traffic along the two-kilometer stretch of UN Avenue.

Pedestrians can no longer cross anywhere in UN Avenue except on the designated pedestrian crossing located at the intersections only.

“We must discipline our pedestrians not to cross at the islands as it will be very dangerous for them especially that vehicles passing by the area are fast moving. We just wanted safety over convenience,” said Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing.

He explained that UN Avenue has been identified as one of the city’s busiest roads and traffic congestion won’t be solved if the city won’t do anything about it.

He added that the increase of traffic penalties were already approved after he signed just recently an order to impose discipline among motorists.

Glenn Antigua, Chief of Operations of Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), said they would deploy several traffic enforcers to UN Avenue to manage the traffic and apprehend those violating traffic rules.

Motorists violating the No Stopping Zone, loading and unloading in undesignated areas and not observing the junction box, fills under the reckless driving, which has a penalty of P1,000. Pedestrians caught jaywalking will be fined P50.

The city government is also planning to implement the no stopping, no jaywalking policy in other busy roads in the city.