Road to monastery open until next week

Heavy traffic along Pope John Paul II Avenue in Barangay Mabolo is expected due to the ongoing drainage project and the observance of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel feast.

The road leading to the Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, will be open to two-way traffic until after the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel next Sunday.

“We have requested (contractor) Pragmatic Construction to keep the road open to two-way traffic so that at least Pope John Paul II Ave. will not be congested with traffic,” said Francisco Ouano, operations chief of the Cebu City Transportation Office.

Thousands of devotees are flocking to the Carmelite Monastery for its novena Masses leading to next Sunday’s event.

Pragmatic is working on a drainage project by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) along the road, specifically on the lanes going from SM City Cebu to IT Park.

The contractor is currently working on the portion of the road across the Carmelite Monastery.

They were supposed to close this side of the road from vehicular traffic.

But the CCTO asked them to keep it open during the first week of July due to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) senior ministers’ meeting.

The contractor was supposed to implement the closure again last Monday.

But Ouano said they requested them again to keep it open until next Monday, after the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

“We know that every year there is a celebration of the feast in the Carmelite Monastery so we are asking for everyone’s cooperation,” Ouano said.

He advised motorists who do not intend to visit the Carmelite Monastery to avoid passing through Pope John Paul II Avenue.

Ouano said alternative roads that motorists can take include Gen. Maxilom Ave., AS Fortuna St., and the Banilad-Talamban road.

The 1.2-kilometer drainage project started in September last year and is expected to be completed later this year.