Passenger jeepney routes for this year’s APEC. (Source: CITOM)
A DRY run of the routes to be taken by passenger jeepneys for the duration of the
Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) meetings in Cebu will be held on July 17.
Rafael Yap, Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive director, said the route plan was approved by the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), which represents the APEC security cluster in a meeting yesterday morning.
“We will present the traffic plan to the APEC Cebu organizing committee in a meeting a the Governor’s Office on Tuesday next week at 10 a.m.,” Yap said.
He said there are still minor works that need to be completed to show the APEC national organizing committee that Cebu is ready for the APEC meetings.
These include fabricating signs, recovering sidewalks, removal of dividers, railings, among others.
Feeder routes
Yap said these will be undertaken on Pope John Paul II Ave. (formerly J. Luna Ave.), and S. Osmeña road and major feeder routes like Gorordo Ave.
“The holding of APEC is a one-time activity but there should be some beneficial improvements to the people of Cebu as a result of holding the APEC. So, using APEC as a context, not just to improve traffic flow, this is the major responsibility of the city government, also for the rest of the motorists in Cebu,” Yap said.
He said several long-term problems should be addressed by the city after the APEC.
These include the removal of center islands, modifying the island near JY Square Mall, setting back the fence of the Mormon compound in Gorordo and setting a flared intersection going into Sudlon St.
The traffic rerouting will be implemented on August and September.
No passenger jeepneys will be allowed in Pope John Paul II Ave. from S. Osmeña road to Archbishop Reyes Ave. from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Other affected jeepney routes include those coming from the north; those with route numbers 03Q, 06H, 04L, 04M, 03L; those bound for SM and the North Bus Terminal; Mabolo passenger jeepneys; and those with route numbers 17B, 17C, 17D, 04B and 04C.
Yap said Citom can remotely override traffic signals to prioritize areas and deploy traffic personnel that will be positioned in key intersections.