After brutal, slow-moving traffic in the run-up to Christmas, roads in Cebu City are less congested.
“It was unexpectedly good during Christmas Day. It’s because of the holiday. Most people are out of town for vacation. That’s why there is less volume on the roads,” said Victor Caindec, the new executive director of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom).
He said they expect the the same breathing space — until the Sinulog in January.
Before that happens, several experiments are underway.
NO LEFT TURN
In the heart of the city near Robinson’s Mall, all vehicles from Gen. Maxilom Avenue can no longer turn left directly to F. Ramos Street.
Cars have to go around Fuente Osmena rotunda first so they end up flowing with traffic to a natural right turn to Ramos St.
Starting Dec. 25, Christmas Day, barriers were put up to prevent errant left turns. This also forces pedestrians to take the stairs and use the skywalk to cross the street.
Caindec said Citom is discussing with stakeholders around Fuente Osmena the next move to remove pay-parking bays in the area.
In the Capitol area, Citom has opened Don Avila Street to provide an alternative route for vehicles and prevent congestion in the T-shaped intersection fronting the Provincial Capitol.
With the street open, vehicles can directly go to and from Osmeña Boulevard and Escario Street without having to pass in front of the Capitol building.
MANUAL TRAFFIC GUIDES
Since December, Citom has been relying on traffic enforcers standing on busy intersection to guide traffic, instead of street lights.
“Our concept is to optimize road capacity. That’s why we try to do things manually. We are trying to mimic how our (computerized) traffic sensors work,” Caindec explained.
In this experiment, when an enforcer notices heavy traffic in his assigned intersection, he contacts Citom’s central control room to inform them to switch to manual operation. The control room then disables the traffic lights and leaves a blinking orange light, the symbol of motorists to drive with “caution”.
This scheme started earlier this month during peak hours in the morning and afternoon.
But this time, said Caindec, Citom leaves the decision to disable the traffic lights to the traffic enforcers on the ground.
Citom has to do this because most of the computerized traffic ground sensors in Cebu City no longer function.
“This has allowed us to unload volumes of cars quickly. The objective of traffic management is not to stop cars from going to the road but to bring them to their destination the fastest way possible so they have less time on the road,” Caindec said.
Even with these steps, public cooperation is necessary, he said.
Jeepneys hould stop at designated stopping areas and pedestrians should take the pedestrian lanes.
Caindec said they also tapped the Cebu City Police Office’s traffic group to help apprehend violators.
“Our priority is to apprehend those obstructing roads like illegal parking, not following jeepney stops, car washing on roads,” he added.
Since Christmas, many vehicles were observed in the South Road Properties (SRP) where people flocked to the Kasadya sa SRP which offers carnival rides, bazaars and booths to revelers.
He said they expect the same as the month ends and people usher in the New Year.
TRANSFER
By January, people will see several physical improvements, said Caindec.
These include repainting of traffic signs, junction boxes, pedestrian lanes and jeepney stops.
Citom, including the PNP traffic group, will also transfer its office from N. Bacalso Ave. to the Ramos building now occupied by the Department of Public Services (DPS).
City Mayor Michael Rama gave them until December 29 to move all operations to the Ramos building. They started transferring yesterday.
The current Citom office will be used for the expanded makeshift Cebu City Medical Center which is occupying the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) compound just beside Citom. The DPS office will transfer to the newly inaugurated repair bay of the city government in the SRP.
“This transfer is significant since Citom will be going back to its home. The seat of Cebu City traffic used to be Ramos,” Caindec said.
He assured that Citom operations won’t be hampered by the transfer. But Citom’s control room which houses traffic hardware systems will be transferred later since traffic communications infrastructure should be in place.
TRIAL PERIOD
These trial changes should only run for 30 days, a limit set in the City’s Traffic Code, City Ordinance 801.
After the trial period, the Citom board has to endorse make changes in road use to the City Council which decided whether the interventions will be made permanent in an ordinance.
Since most of the interventions were done in December, Caindec said they still have to fully assess the results.
“We can get better and proper assessment by the start of January onwards since during Christmas the traffic was abnormally lower and we’re expecting the same by New Year since it’s a long weekend also,” he said.