Ban on private vehicles during peak hours set

Commuters wait for vacant jeepneys as traffic congestion worsens along N. Bacalso Avenue with the closure of several southbound lanes to give way to the underpass project. A ban on private vehicles during peak hours is expected to ease traffic congestion.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

N. BACALSO TRAFFIC

Starting next week, private cars will be banned from passing through the intersection of N. Bacalso Ave. and F. Llamas St. during peak hours.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants this implemented as a solution to the continued traffic congestion in the area due to the ongoing construction of the P683-million underpass project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7.

“Mohatag ko og pabor sa (I will give favor to) ordinary commuters. They are those who have to go to school, report for work, report on time. I’m guessing people with private cars won’t have to go to work on time,” he told reporters during a press conference yesterday.

Continuation of the next phase of the underpass project would involve the closure of the entire southbound lane of N. Bacalso Ave. in front of McDonald’s.

But of the three lanes on the opposite, northbound side, only one lane has been opened to vehicles.

This has caused traffic jams in the area much to the ire of regular commuters who have to go to school or work every day.

Mayor Osmeña said private car owners will have this week to start looking for alternative routes before the ban will be implemented next week.

According to Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) operations chief Francisco Ouano, the private car ban will only be enforced during peak hours – from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m.

“The area was already congested before, so much more now with this project. But we can’t do anything about it since it’s already there and at the end of the day, we will be the ones who will benefit from this project,” he said.

Osmeña, on the other hand, said they will assess the results of the ban of private vehicles.

“I don’t know until when. We will see how it goes. But if it works, it will stay on while the construction is going on,” the mayor said.

The current phase of the underpass project, which started earlier this month, is expected to continue for the next three to four months.

Ouano reiterated that as much as possible, motorists who don’t have any business in the area should just avoid it so as not to contribute to the number of vehicles passing there and also not to get stuck in the traffic.

He said among the diversion roads that private vehicles can take are Macopa St., Tagunol St., Cabreros St., as well as F. Llamas St. and Katipunan St.

The South Road Properties (SRP) could also be another alternative road especially for those coming all the way from Talisay City, going north.

Ouano said he personally observed the traffic situation in the area yesterday morning and that it was still heavy./with Correspondent Inna Gian Mejia