Close intersections, U-turn slots at SRP Cebu City Council asks Mayor Rama

Traffic at Cebu South Coastal Road in SRP is expected to worsen if Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama will not close the intersections and U-turn slots near the Il Corso Lifemalls.  / CDN PHOTO via Morexette Erram

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The intersections and U-turn slots at the South Road Properties (SRP) must be closed, as they pose a risk to motorists and pedestrians, the Cebu City Council has asked Mayor Michael Rama.

The intersections and U-turn slots in question are located at the gap across Il Corso Lifemalls.

The council carried the motion filed by Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa during its regular session on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.

In his resolution, Abellanosa said this is to avoid adverse effects on the City’s traffic condition, which could consequently negatively impact the city’s economy.

Abellanosa also asked the council to schedule an executive session on the matter.

“Prudence dictates that it would be best to heed to the warnings and recommendations of an expert regarding road infrastructure before taking a course of action that would adversely affect its economic viability as well as the safety of motorists,” Abellanosa said in his resolution.

To recall, the Cebu City Traffic Management Coordination Committee, last May 26, 2023, directed the City Transportation Office, through Resolution 37-098-2023, to close the small opening of the center island that was being used as a U-turn slot for vehicles.

Mayor Rama, however, ordered the reopening of the gap across the Il Corso Lifemalls, as the city intends to make it an intersection.

Abellanosa said that the former SRP manager, who is also an urban planner, Engr. Nigel Paul Villarete, warned that introducing intersections and U-turn slots at the SP would likely reduce the economic viability of the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) as it would interrupt traffic flow.

“Aside from being not in accord with the opinions of experts and urban planners, such a U-turn slot poses an imminent danger to motorists because the barriers placed therein are in the fast or center lane and might cause unexpecting motorists to suddenly come to a stop or immediately swerve to the next lane, cutting off the lane being traversed by another vehicle,” Abellanosa said.

“Such being sudden stops or cutting off of the next lane would most likely result in traffic accidents in the said area causing undue injuries or even deaths to motorists or even pedestrians,” he added.

Meanwhile, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera also took on the plight of commuters riding public utility jeepneys with route numbers 08G and 09G.

Pesquera asked if the City’s Transportation Office could reopen the now-closed intersection in F. Vestil Road.         /rcg

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