Traffic flow at the South Road Properties (SRP) was hampered for several hours yesterday after a hardware truck carrying steel bars had a flat tire and got stuck on the viaduct.
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) received a report about the stalled vehicle at around 7 a.m.
CCTO executive director Rey Gealon said it took them and the operator of the truck about two hours to remove the vehicle because it was too heavy.
The prime mover truck (LUM-274) was loaded with steel rods and beams.
“We sought the help of several towing companies but they declined saying the truck and the load were way too heavy,” he said
The CCTO diverted traffic to Mambaling access road then to C Padilla and N. Bacalso Ave.
Some CCTO personnel had to help change the two huge tires.
“We sincerely appologize for the inconvenience it has caused. Rest assured we will take necesary measures to improve our response time and dispatch more personnel at the coastal road,” Gealon said.
CCTO issued a traffic citation ticket against the driver for violating City Ordiannce 718. He was made to pay a fine of P500.
“With that negligible penalty under the ordinance vis a vis the heavy vehicular traffic, there is now a compelling argument to revisit the ordinance and amend it accordingly. I will bring it up to the CCTO board for consideration,” Gealon added.