Banilad-Talamban traffic (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The “no left turn” scheme will resume in the Banilad-Talamban road in Cebu City despite angry complaints of motorists and passengers caught off guard by the change.
On the spot, Mayor Michael Rama yesterday appointed 20 persons to form a special traffic management board for the Ban-Tal corridor, where the new setup was enforced Monday to Thursday without prior notice.
Rama tasked businessman Bunny Pages to head the core group, whose members were selected from participants at a forum in City Hall called to discuss the new scheme.
Heading off any criticism or angry remarks, the mayor announced his ground rules : No complaints will be entertained, just solutions to traffic congestion.
“Di ta mag-away” (Let’s not quarrel)”
“Agree not to be selfish, mogasto (shoulder expenses), sacrifice, and follow technical experts,” he said before the start of an open forum.
Over 50 individuals showed up, a mix of homeowners, business owners, representatives of schools, motorists and commuters who were invited as “stakeholders” by the mayor.
At the end of the morning, they agreed to continue the traffic scheme, and suggested adding pocket lanes, more traffic lights, more visible traffic enforcers and strict discipline for drivers and passengers.
WORSENED
Banilad councilwoman Malou Tabar managed to say what most motorists are openly complaining about.
“Since the No Left Turn policy was implemented and up to this morning, the traffic problem has worsened. I know this because I drive through these problem areas every morning,” she said.
Tabar said no one is manning traffic in the area past the Family Park going to Cabancalan in Mandaue city although Citom has fielded more enforcers in major intersections,
“Instead of going to Cabancalan to supposedly make a U-turn, drivers conveniently make their U-turns anywhere between these areas,” she said.
“I hope you have enough manpower to pursue this (scheme) because the truth is, kahibalo tang tanan nga Citom ra sad gyud ang bantayan sa mga driver so what’s the point? (We all know that drivers only watch out for Citom). She suggested having more pocket lanes.
POCKET LANES
Citom executive director Raphael Yap welcomed the idea of more pocket lanes, which can be done very soon.
“This is where passengers of private and PUJ vehicles can disembark, but parking is a no-no. The new pocket lanes will be put in locations that experience significant stopping,” Yap said.
Ten sites are being considered.
These are the strip across Country Mall, beside University of Cebu, the triangle property along J. Panis St., Cebu Country Club, the Aboitiz office and the stretch from Paradise Village to the Tesda flyover.
The Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) implemented the No Left Turn along the 8-kilometer stretch of the Ban-Tal corridor last Monday on the mayor’s orders.
There was no prior notice to the riding public.
From Gorordo Avenue to barangay Talamban, vehicles on both lanes are prohibited from turning left on intersections (except those with traffic signal lights) during weekday rush hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. To 7 pm.
The ban could extend an hour later at Citom’s discretion.
This forces motorists to drive farther ahead to make U-turns or take longer detours to reach their destination.
For example, students from the city center going to the University of San Carlos Talamban campus have to ride a jeepney or take their car to barangay Cabancalan in Mandaue City to make a U-turn.
With howls from the riding pubic and drivers mounting, Mayor Rama called for a dialog yesterday.
He told reporters it was not open for news coverage but some managed to enter and witness the exchange.
Citom’s Yap said the No Left Turn policy will continue until a permanent measure is drawn up by the new Ban-Tal traffic board.
The mayor directed the City Legal Office to draft an executive order creating the board.
“The direction of the mayor was for the policy to bring this group together and implement more meaningful solutions to solve the traffic. Otherwise, if these people will not help, if there is no further improvement from both the government and private sector, then we’ll never get anywhere with traffic. We’ll be forced to stick with the No Left Turn if there is no progress in Ban-Tal,” Yap said.
Pages, owner of the Mooon Cafe restaturant chain and a resident of Ma. Luisa Subdivision in Banilad, was selected to head the private sector core group.
They will monitor the Ban-Tal traffic scheme and follow through suggestions raised in the dialog.
“This is a good starting point. This will prompt people to plan their trips ahead so that if you don’t really have to go out during rush hour, you will adjust,” said Pages, who was an early critic of the first Ban-Tal flyover.
Other stakeholders suggested having two additional street lanes as an alternative to taking the flyovers.
They said road discipline should be strictly enforced, Citom personnel should be more visible, traffic lights need to be increased and barangay tanods and security guards of schools, subdivisions and establishments should be trained on traffic management.
A representative of Woodridge School offered to pay for the painting of zebra (pedestrian) crossing in front of the school.
Other suggestion to ease traffic:
Remove the fence of the USC campus to widen the road
Hire experts to study traffic flow
Put U-turn slots at the the Banilad Town Center and Bright Academy
City officials and the Ban-Tal traffic core group will inspect the road and observe traffic on Wednesday before they meet to assess the situation and draw up more measures.
Related Stories:
Why Rama kept reporters out of the forum
Rama to host dialogue on BanTal road rule