Tire barriers to be set up at S. Osmeña

The spare tires lined up at the traffic island of MJ Cuenco. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Unusued stacked tires will soon be seen lined along the center of the entire S. Osmeña Road in Cebu City.

Rafael Yap, Cebu City Operations Management (Citom) chief, said the tires will serve as “temporary median barriers” this Friday.

“In the meantime that there’s still no resolution on the removal of the trees, we will put up the barriers. This is not just for the protection of the trees but most importantly, for the safety and protection of our motorists,” Yap said.

Yap said the new barriers will help prevent accidents like last Sunday dawn’s incident in which five persons died after their Hyundai sedan went over the traffic island and rammed into a speeding trailer truck at the opposite lane of the South Coastal Road of Cebu City’s South Road Properties (SRP).

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Setting up the new barrier was agreed on by Cebu City Hall officials after yesterday’s meeting at the mayor’s office.

Markings
Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella, who also heads the city’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), said the relatives of the victims of last Sunday dawn’s accident at the SRP won’t press charges against truck driver Danilo Cojo.

Yap said they will also install other “traffic safety devices” in the area like reflectors to alert motorists of the barriers that will be put up there.

He said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will place pavement markings like road demarcation lines, arrows, curve or edge lines and other applicable labels along the national road.

A speed limit of 60-kilometers per hour is currently in place at the S. Osmeña Rd.

Though higher than the 40-kph speed limit at the SRP, Yap said S. Osmeña has signalized intersections which would force motorists to slow down.

Hazard
“S. Osmeña is a high-priority road not just for trucks and heavy vehicles but it’s also one of the main entry points for tourists coming from the airport and from the pier. So, the mayor justifiably wants some improvement projects done to improve the beauty and safety in the area,” Yap said.

The trees standing along the traffic island of the road were earlier identified by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama as a hazard to motorists passing through the area.

Yap said this was why they have to put up the improvised center barriers there.

Citom will be using old, discarded tires from City Hall’s General Services Office (GSO).

The barriers will be similar to those along MJ Cuenco Ave. near Vic Enterprises where two tires are stacked, painted yellow and filled with soil with a plant on top.

Yap said they are also looking for funds to buy speed guns to monitor motorists.