Traffic build-up is seen in a portion of Natalio Bacalso Avenue in Barangay Linao, Talisay City, near the boundary between the city and neighboring Minglanilla town in his 2020 phot. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Christmas is only 38 days away, and authorities in Talisay City and Minglanilla town are now bracing for heavy traffic during the Holiday rush.
The Capitol recently convened traffic officials from the two localities, and engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to discuss plans on how to address this concern.
Jonathan Tumulak, head of the City of Talisay – Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA), said they noted an increase in vehicular volume within the highways of Minglanilla, Talisay City and Cebu City, which could inevitably lead to bottlenecks, and bumper-to-bumper traffic.
“Atol sa maong meeting, gipadangat ni Governor Gwen (Garcia) sa iyahang kabalaka nianing nagsiabot nga pasko. During sa among meeting, nisaka ang volume sa atong mga sakyanan dili lang dinhe sa Talisay kung di pati dinhe sa Minglanilla so dakong posibilidad sad apil ang Cebu City,” Tumulak told reporters in a phone interview.
Some of the suggestions they raised during the meeting, he said, were modifying time set on traffic lights, putting up designated u-turn slots along the Talisay portion of Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR), deploying more traffic enforcers in areas prone to heavy traffic, to name some.
“Naay uban plano nga kinahanglan sad gyud ug infrastructure. Meaning trabahoon gyud,” Tumulak added.
These included widening right-turn portions of intersections, particularly the one where CSCR meets with N. Bacalso Ave. in Barangay Lawaan I, to ensure vehicles turning right will not get stuck.
Tumulak also said they are mulling to reduce waiting time of vehicles in major intersections with traffic lights.
“Pwede maimplementar mao kining pagdisregard sa suga (traffic lights). For example, mudagan ka ug south, gusto ka muleft turn sa inner roads, tagaan ka ug seconds. Pero karun, naa gihapon kay time pero nakadifference lang is if wa nay muliko, unya naa pay nagpabilin nga segundo, atong gamiton na nga segundo para ihabwa tanan sakyanan. Meaning ana, i-go nalang nimo ang mga sakyanan nga nakastop,” he explained.
Tumulak said they are expected to implement some – if not all- of these plans soon.
Heavy traffic during Christmas season has been a problem in Cebu for years.
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/ dcb