Mandaue rerouting ‘effective’ despite confusion on Day 1

Commuters had to wait longer than usual to get a PUJ ride near the Mandaue City Hall yesterday.

Some chose  to just walk to their destination to prevent further delays.

The first day of a traffic rerouting  experiment saw many drivers and passengers caught in initial  confusion by the changes.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, who was on the road at 5 a.m. on board his motorbike to monitor the scheme, said the adverse reaction to something new was expected.

He said he was happy to see vehicles flowing.

“The flow of vehicles became smooth but there are portions that need to be worked out,” he said.

“I ask you to be patient and observe the new scheme. We need your cooperation so please bear with us. We are doing this for the good of everybody,” he said, addressing motorists.

The dry run will last 60 days as a preparation for APEC meetings which start on  August 22.

Four national roads were declared one-way routes.

Ibabao barangay captain Marcelino del Mar Jr. said the new traffic scheme  decongested S. B Cabahug St. where the barangay hall is located.

“The new scheme is effective. It should have been done a long time ago,” he said.

The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) assessed  the first day rollout as effective.

As of 7 p.m., TEAM head Glenn Antigua viewed  all of the CCTV monitors in the command center where vehicle flow  was monitored.

“There is bumper to bumper traffic on M.C. Briones St. but it is moving,” he said.

Slow movement of vehicles was also observed on S.B. Cabahug St. in front of City Hall.

Three road accidents  occurred yesterday, two on S.B. Cabahug St. corner A.C. Cortes St., heading to the coliseum, and another one on M.C. Briones St. near Pacific Mall, due to the confusion of  drivers.

The signal  light in S.B. Cabahug St. corner A.C. Cortes St. was also reconfigured from two-way traffic to one-way flow.

While traffic flow was smooth within the city proper, heavy congestion was noted  on major roads like MC Briones Street, Plaridel Street and the United Nations Avenue that lead to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

“Ambot lang nila. Dili gyod ko uyon aning ilang pag-one-way sa mga karsada, hasol na kaayo. Imbis makauli ta’g sayo, maglisod tag sakay,” said commuter Nida Nable who was waiting for a ride near the Shell gasoline station along A. del Rosario Street.  (I don’t agree with the one-way scheme of some roads.  It’s giving us headache.  We can’t go home early because we can’t get a ride.)

The 59-year-old housewife came from the nearby public market to buy groceries and was unaware of the traffic rerouting which was implemented at 6 a.m.

Loreto, a PUJ driver plying the Pit-os – Mandaue Centro route, said the new scheme only worsened traffic flow in the city.

Many private vehicle owners were also confused.   Some  entered one-way roads and were flagged down by Team enforcers who patiently explained to them the changes.

Under the new scheme, P. Burgos Street was made a  one-way thoroughfare for south bound vehicles.

The parallel S. B. Cabahug Street from the corner of Jollibee Centro to the Pacific Mall  was reserved for north-bound vehicles.

Part of  A. del Rosario Street fronting Jollibee Mandaue to the corner of F. B. Cabuhug Street which leads to the city’s municipal cemetery is also a  one-way road now.

Vehicles using the road should make a left turn to S. B. Cabahug Street.

PUJs from barangay Looc that used to pass A. del Rosario Street were diverted to S. B. Cabahug Street then left to F. B. Cabahug Street.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the municipal cemetery, they are asked to make a left turn to a portion of A. del Rosario Street where two-way traffic flow is allowed.

While traffic was smooth-flowing within the city proper, congestion was heavy on the national highways.

Vehicles from MC Briones Street and those coming from S. B. Cabahug Street converged at a portion of the national highway (MC Briones St.) before Pacific Mall and before reaching the traffic light on the Butuanon River bridge.

South-bound vehicles also cross a portion of U N. Avenue to enter the one-way traffic along Burgos St.

PUJs from Lilo-an and Consolacion area bound for the city proper and Parkmall that used to pass S.B. Cabahug Street were told to extend their travel on A.C. Cortes Avenue and make a right turn to P. Burgos St.