No trucks allowed to use APEC routes

Trees, center island in Pope JP II  won’t be touched until after APEC

Delegates start arriving in Cebu today for the first meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation  (APEC)  scheduled this weekend.

“Traffic personnel are ready, willing and  able,” said Rey Gealon, chief of the Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO).

Trucks will not be allowed in certain roads in the APEC ceremonial route for the duration of APEC meetings from Aug. 22 to Sept. 5.

A truck ban will be implemented from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. along Pope John Paul II Ave. (formerly Juan Luna Ave.) to Salinas Drive; Salinas Drive to Veterans Drive; and the portion of Archbishop Reyes Ave. from corner Pope John Paul II Ave. to Gorordo Ave.

These are the road linking Apec venue hotels in  Radisson Blu, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, Marriott Cebu and Marco Polo Plaza.

For now, City Hall will not touch the center island along Pope John Paul II Avenue and the fire trees there.  A proposed transfer will have to wait until after the Apec meetings.

But the structure and trees will have to be removed before the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in January next year, said Gealon.

“If we start any activity now, the equipment we will be placing smack in the middle of the road will make the traffic worse. We don’t want that, especially not now,” Gealon said.

The national road is part of the Apec ceremonial  route.

Along this road also lies the San Carlos Seminary Complex, where a pavilion for the IEC is being built. Over 15,000 delegates are expected to arrive for the IEC.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has been pushing for the removal of the center island and some trees to widen the road and ease traffic congestion.

The mayor issued a memorandum yesterday directing the CCTO to implement the truck ban in Pope John Paul II Ave. and other Apec routes based on the recommendation of the Apec organizing committee.

Another traffic dry-run for Apec was conducted by the police at around 9 a.m. and  5 p.m. yesterday.

No sirens were used this time.

“The convoy was stuck in traffic for a little time especially when they entered Cebu City because they didn’t use sirens so the other vehicles weren’t able to move aside quickly especially the trailer trucks since they were not warned ahead,” Jonathan Tumulak of CTTO said.

Gealon said traffic flow was still smooth during the dry run in the afternoon since police and traffic enforcers were posted  along the ceremonial route and intersections.

“No trucks were seen in these roads as this was previously agreed already with truckers association,” he added.
Marc Canton of the Movement for a Livable Cebu was relieved to hear that removal of the center island and trees was postponed.

“I’m glad to hear that this is the plan. This way, we have more time to really pursue what’s best for our trees and for our city,” said Canton.

MLC earlier suggested a roundabout in the triangle island at JY Square and overriding traffic signals to ease traffic congestion.

For Gealon, rerouting of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and deployment of more personnel to man the roads would be more effective.

He said the removal of the center island is “not yet absolutely necessary” for Apec.

“We’re in the middle of conducting dry runs, and as far as I can see, the roads are fine, we just have to manage traffic better,” said Gealon.

“We can make do right now without removing the islands. Although removing them would have helped greatly, we can make do with having the islands there for now,” the CCTO chief said.