Traffic congestion on ML Quezon National Highway in Lapu-Lapu City is becoming unbearable. A new traffic scheme is expected to ease the congestion. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The City Traffic Management System (CTMS) expects a “chaotic situation” on the first day of implementation of a new traffic scheme aimed at decongesting traffic along M.L. Quezon National Highway in Lapu-Lapu City.
CTMS head Frank Brazil said they will conduct a dry run of the traffic scheme from 6 a.m to 10 p.m. tomorrow. The new scheme was approved by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza yesterday.
Under the new scheme, all vehicles coming from Mandaue City using the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge will not be able to go straight to Marigondon nor turn left.
All vehicles will have to turn right to M.L. Quezon National Highway, turn left to U. Ybañez street, take another left turn to Sangi Road and then, right turn to MV Patalinghug Avenue going to Marigondon.
Vehicles coming from Marigondon or MV Patalinghug and bound for Mandaue will no longer have to take a right turn to M.L. Quezon National Highway.
Instead they can go straight to the first bridge.
At the intersection near the first bridge, vehicles coming from the public market will not be allowed to turn left to the bridge but will have to turn right to MV Patalinghug Ave., make a U-turn there and go straight to the first bridge.
Nicole Jesson Bacolod, who uses the first bridge everytime he goes to Lapu-Lapu City, said he found the new route circuitous.
“Hassle siya then add usab sa travel time labi na ang imong destination kay duol ra gyud sa old bridge. Then tungod sa ka traffic kay mapugos nalang ka’g agi sa pikas or mag antos sa traffic (It would take us longer to reach our destination, especially if it is just near the old bridge),” he said.
In Mandaue City, Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) executive director Florentino Nimor said motorists have been avoiding the first bridge because of the ongoing repairs that have made the road uneven.
He said they noticed that vehicles coming from Barangays Marigondon and Poblacion in Lapu-Lapu as well as from Cordova town normally go to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge instead.