‘Alternate routes, not number coding scheme’

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and the Traffic Enforcement Agency for Mandaue (TEAM) say the number coding scheme will only encourage motorists to buy more cars with different license plates. (CDN FILE PHOTO)

Incoming Cordova Mayor Theresa “Teche” Sitoy-Cho is against the proposed number coding of vehicles passing the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge, saying it won’t ease the traffic congestion there.

In fact, Cho said it will severely affect the mobility of delivery trucks and other stakeholders. Until the third Cebu-Cordova bridge is built, she said other options should be pursued.

“Maghimo unta og dugang pa nga mga alternative routes in Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue og dili hilabtan ang daily routine sa mga transportation (We should assign alternative routes in Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue and just leave the daily routine of public and private transportation),” Cho said.

She said the vehicle owners would be encouraged to purchase more vehicles to avoid number coding.

Cho said by the time the third bridge is built, the number of vehicles in Metro Cebu would have doubled.

Earlier, the City Traffic Management System (CTMS) of Lapu-Lapu City planned to revive its proposal for number coding of vehicles to the Metro Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) to reduce traffic congestion.

CTMS Chief Frank Brazil said the long proposed barge project could offer motorists and commuters an alternative mode of transport to avoid the heavy traffic in the bridge.

Brazil said there have been a number of experiments to reduce traffic congestion and there’s no other way to do so other than number coding.

He said the opening of more establishments and subdivisions caused the increase in vehicles and there aren’t enough road developments to accommodate the vehicles.

“Maghulat lang pod mi kun kanus-a hisgutan ang aming proposal basta sa pagkakaron mao nay labing maayong i-implementar (We will just wait for when they will discuss our proposal, but for now, it would be for the best if it gets implemented),” Brazil said.

Under the Comprehensive Land Use Program (CLUP) of Mandaue City, a proposed 3rd Mandaue-Mactan Bridge will also be constructed from Barangay Paknaan to Barangay Pusok near the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) in Lapu-Lapu City.