PUJ riders confused

Jeepney passengers end up confused after several changes have been made in rerouting plans   since  March 5 when  traffic in the North Reclamation Area was disrupted by rehabilitation work on the S. Osmeña Road.

Ma. Teresa Gujilde, 29, said  the one hour it used to take from her job in downtown Cebu City to the North Bus Terminal in Mandaue City  to catch a jeepney ride home to Carmen town has doubled since last week.

“I look forward to the day the roadwork is completed so everything will be back to normal,” said the employee.

At least four rerouting schemes have  been implemented at the NRA since last week.

Last night, another route change was  implemented for north Cebu-bound vehicles,  this time allowing vehicles to use Kaohsiung Street in front of SM City.

Vehicles from Mabolo  were made to pass by A. Soriano Ave. fronting APM Mall then turn  right to Kaohsiung Street.  A bottleneck formed  in front of the Cebu Daily News building where vehicles merged with those coming from Plaza Independencia.

For Gujilde, going home  to north Cebu again took longer on Wednesday when traffic managers of Mandaue and Cebu cities agreed to adopt   one-way traffic on  M. Logarta Street to relieve severe congestion in Mandaue city.

The adjustment allowed  vehicles a wider route to head for Cebu City  and further south while  north-bound vehicles were directed to sea-side lanes of S. Osmeña Road.

PUJs with route number 01K that Gujilde rides to the bus terminal in Logarta Street  were made to pass  Cabahug Street to Ouano Avenue in Mandaue.

Gujilde said she had to  travel  farther and ride up to Parkmall in Mandaue  and wait for the jeepney to head back to  downtown Cebu City, this time using Logarta Street, before she could disembark.

Students and workers coming from downtown Cebu City who want to head home to barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City either take the long ride to Ouano Avenue before reaching Logarta Street or have to get off near  S & R Supermarket.

They then cross to the other side of the road and walk an  access road- about a kilometer long- leading to barangay Subangdaku.

“Some  passengers  get mad at us but I just explain to them that it’s beyond our control,” said one PUJ driver.

Citom’s Joy Tumulak said deputized personnel of  the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are helping man NRA traffic.

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