Some passengers look bored and impatient while waiting for a ride on N. Bacalso Ave. , Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña plans to rehash the city’s anti-counterflow ordinance and strictly implement it on the roads that serve as alternate routes to improve the flow of traffic in the area.
Counterflowing now a no-no on N. Bacalso Ave.
Apparently, deploying additional enforcers to help man the traffic in areas near the Mambaling underpass in N. Bacalso Ave., is not enough to ease the congestion there.
So, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is planning to rehash the city’s no-counterflowing ordinance with focus on the access roads leading to the P638-million underpass project which has been the cause of monstrous traffic in the area.
Osmeña said vehicles caught violating the order will be impounded for 60 days.
“It’s a critical area. So you better think twice about counterflowing in that area,” warned Osmeña. But he clarified that the 60-day impoundment will only apply to those caught violating the ordinance on the streets connecting to N. Bacalso Ave.
The mayor attributed the recent traffic congestion in the southern parts of Cebu City to counterflowing, and cars malfunctioning in the middle of the road.
“I don’t want anyone to counterflow. I just want maximum discipline among drivers. People will gamble to counterflow so, double the penalty,” Osmeña said.
Last resort
The mayor also revealed that banning private vehicles from accessing N. Bacalso Ave. will be a last resort.
“If all else fails, we may consider banning private cars. One hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. But not now,” he added.
The construction of the P638-million underpass project in N. Bacalso Ave. began in August 2017. Since then, traffic gridlocks, bottlenecks, and congestion have been experienced not only on N. Bacalso Ave. but also its access roads such as Tagunol, Elorde, Caimito, F. Llamas, E. Sabellano, and Cabreros Streets.
The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH – 7) is set to proceed with Phase 4 of the project this week.
In effect, the northbound lane of N. Bacalso Ave. will be closed while its southbound portion, as well as F. Llamas Street, will be opened to traffic.
Improvement
Cebu City Transportation Office chief Francisco Ouano told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview that Osmeña’s orders immediately took effect yesterday, Tuesday.
But as of noon yesterday, no vehicles were caught violating the mayor’s directives, he said.
At least 12 enforcers from CCTO were deployed in the area since Saturday to help man the traffic flow.
Ouano said traffic flow on N. Bacalso Ave. had improved except for several instances such as the bottleneck on the corner of N. Bacalso Ave. and Cabreros Street.
No longer relevant
Meanwhile, Ouano said prohibiting private cars to access N. Bacalso Ave. while the underpass is being constructed may not be relevant anymore.
“We’re about to open both the northbound and southbound lanes of N. Bacalso once we commence with Phase 5,” he explained.
Construction of the underpass is divided into six phases.
In Phase 4, engineers from WT Construction Inc., the contractor of the project, will be laying down the foundation as part of its bored-piling stage. According to Engr. Roy dela Cruz, DPWH – 7 project engineer, Phase 4 will last around three to four months.
In Phase 5, the depressed component of the underpass will be implimented.
Ouano is again urging the public, especially motorists, to extend their patience until the underpass’ targeted completion on March 2019.
Special team
Meanwhile, Osmeña said he is eyeing to create a special team to help push cars that bogged down to the side of access roads near the Mambaling underpass.
“What I noticed is that cars, when they malfunction on the road, contribute to the traffic,” said Osmeña.