Will buddy system solve Mandaue-Lapu-Lapu traffic?

THE cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu are blaming each other for the traffic  congestion especially at the intersections on the two bridges that connect both cities, the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge and the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

The Lapu-Lapu City Traffic Management System (CTMS) blamed the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) for heavy traffic resulting in a long queue  of vehicles on the Lapu-Lapu side of the second bridge last week.

CTMS chief Frank Brazil had earlier said the traffic congestion in Lapu-Lapu City was a “chain reaction” from the new traffic scheme being implemented by Mandaue City.

But this was denied by TEAM executive director Florentino Nimor Jr. who said some motorists avoided the first bridge because they thought that the bridge was closed for repairs.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza asked TEAM to give vehicles coming from Lapu-Lapu City more time when crossing the intersections in Mandaue that connect the two bridges so that the traffic congestion will not reach the city.

Nimor, together with TEAM operations chief Glenn Antigua and Mandaue City Administrator James Abadia, went to Lapu-Lapu last Friday for a closed-door meeting with Radaza and Brazil to discuss possible solutions to the traffic congestion.

“We asked them what they want us to do on the side of Mandaue. Sila among pabut-on (We want them to decide),” Nimor said.

But he said Lapu-Lapu had no suggestions so he instead suggested that a “buddy-buddy” system would be put in place.

An enforcer from Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue would team up at both ends of the second bridge. The teams would then communicate with each other regarding the traffic flow of each side so that if one side is congested, the other side would ease it up by letting the traffic flow.

“Para dili sila magduda, ako silang giingnan nga magpartner ta. Inyong taw ibutang diri, among taw ibutang didto (So they won’t have any doubts, we should have a partnership. Your man will be put here while ours will be on their side also),” he said.

Nimor said Mayor Radaza agreed with their suggestion.

Antigua said that the system was implemented last Monday. But the focus is on the second bridge and the intersections in UN Avenue where two CTMS enforcers man the traffic flow with two TEAM enforcers.

Antigua said it looks like the system is working because there are no long queues of vehicles anymore.