Mandaue motorists start reroute scheme today

MANDAUE’s one-way traffic scheme in four national roads will be tested  when it takes effect today.

Fresh  traffic signs were made  and flyers  were distributed in the past few days, but despite  advisories on radio and  newspapers,  many  commuters and drivers said they were not aware of  the new scheme.

The  Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) will start enforcing the new  scheme in S.B Cabahug, A. del Rosario, F. Cabahug and P. Burgos starting 6 a.m. today as part of a  60-day dry run for the  AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings starting  August 22.

Charlene Lebuit, a first year student of Mandaue City College, said she didn’t know  about the route changes.

“We were not informed about the new traffic scheme. They  are just making up stories,” she said.

Worsen

Lebuit said she feared the change would only  make her get  to class late.

Her schoolmate, Gladys Flores, said she  worried that heavy traffic would just get worse.

“Please, don’t implement the traffic scheme because it will worsen traffic congestion. It would be okay if there is no rerouting so it will be easy for us to go home,” she said.

Tricycle driver Nesil Neri, who plies the route along Paknaan, Labangon and Opao, said he didn’t know about the traffic scheme until Cebu Daily News told him about it.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 6th District Engineering Office has nine ongoing projects for road rehabilitation and drainage that have pushed up traffic volume to “unbearable” limits for thousands of daily commuters and motorists.

Glenn Antigua, acting TEAM chief, said it  was  normal for people to be skeptical and critical of a new project.

“Whatever changes there may be, problems will always be present,” he said.

Mayor Jonas Cortes over the weekend apologized to the public for the heavier traffic, asking people to stretch their “patience” because the “overwhelming outpouring of projects from the national government is a boon to us all” and had long been sought by Cebuanos.

“In your own way, if you can adjust, please do… this is just temporary…  a silver lining awaits those who can see it at the end of this.

TEAM will also implement a new rerouting scheme in Subangdaku area within the year.

Trucks carrying more than 4,500 kilos up and buses going to the North Bus Terminal will  no longer be  allowed to pass E.O. Perez St. Instead, they will head to Ouano Ave., then towards M. Logarta Ave.

Antigua said the new scheme will help offset the heavy traffic caused by passing trucks and buses.