Mandaue implements routing scheme for north-bound PUJs

THE Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) has started implementing anew the routing scheme already set under the city’s existing traffic ordinance.

The need to smoothen the traffic flow along A.C. Cortes Street prompted the decision to strictly implement the routing scheme, said Glenn Antigua, Team’s chief for operations.

The routing scheme, which was implemented starting yesterday, requires all public utility jeepneys (PUJ) coming from the northern towns of Compostela, Liloan and Consolacion and from Danao City that are bound for Cebu City to pass through the flyover and head straight to L. Jaime Street. Also included in the routing scheme are PUJs plying the route from Liloan town to Gaisano Country Mall in Banilad, Cebu City with codes 25, 25B and 25C.

From L. Jaime Street, these PUJs must now proceed to A.S. Fortuna Street then on to the A. Del Rosario Street going to the City Hall, said Antigua.
“This route had been effective since February of last year. We are reinforcing the route now since L. Jaime Street in Sitio Marfa (Barangay Bakilid) has now been fixed and now passable,” Antigua said in Cebuano.

The routing scheme was earlier temporarily set aside to give way for the road-widening and drainage construction in L. Jaime Street, Antigua explained.

With the routing system now in place, PUJs are now discouraged from loading and unloading passengers near the Emcor building along A.C. Cortes and are encouraged to do so at the PUJ bay in J. Centre Mall, he added.

“The drivers have made it a habit to make the street their terminal and this has contributed to the traffic problems in the area,” Antigua said.

During the enforcement of the routing scheme yesterday, Team enforcers had observed that traffic flow along A.C Cortes Street had gone smoother since the bulk of PUJs were redirected to L. Jaime Street.

Antigua said Team will still have to study the reimplementation of the route further to assess its effectiveness in lessening traffic along A.C. Cortes Street.

“If A.S. Fortuna Street will also be congested, we might also implement a rerouting scheme there to decrease vehicle volume,” Antigua said.

The reinforcement of the city’s traffic ordinance is part of Team’s plan to clear out vehicle volume within the surrounding areas of the Mandaue City Hall to make it a “pedestrian-friendly zone.”

“As stated in the CLUP (Comprehensive Land Use Plan), the City Hall (area) must be pedestrian-friendly, so we are undertaking steps to gradually decrease traffic flow within its surrounding areas,” Antigua said.