Capitol Gathers 1st District Reps for Unified Holy Week Traffic Plan
All traffic enforcers of the cities of Talisay, Naga and Carcar and the towns of Minglanilla and San Fernando will be deployed starting Wednesday to help manage the expected surge of motorists and passengers set to travel home for the Holy Week.
This was agreed during a meeting convened by the Provincial Government’s traffic management team yesterday, March 25.
Jonathan Floras Tumulak, focal person on traffic management for Cebu Province, said the meeting was aimed to discuss ways on how to manage and address traffic congestion especially during peak seasons.
In a two-hour meeting, police chiefs and heads of traffic management offices of Cebu’s 1st district towns and cities agreed to work together to implement a better traffic management plan.
The meeting was also attended by Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Peña, a representative from the office of 1st district Rep. Samsam Gullas, and a representative from the Land Transportation Office. Personnel from Mandaue City’s traffic management office also joined the meeting.
According to Tumulak, they all agreed that all traffic enforcers of the said LGUs will be on duty and none will be allowed to take a leave or day-off starting Wednesday to Sunday.
“Gi-expect na karong Wednesday ang pinaka-grabe ang volume sa pasahero,” Tumulak said.
He explained that the traffic enforcers from Talisay until San Fernando will be working on a “synchronized schedule” to ensure that there will be more enforcers during peak hours, which is from 4 in the afternoon until evening.
According to Tumulak, there should be an advance notice to motorists on changes of traffic routes, like the implementation of the no left turn rule in specific areas set at certain times of the day.
He also asks for the motorists and passengers to understand if changes will be made, as these are needed in some areas.
“There will be intersections where ‘no left turn’ will be implemented. Duna lang specific time, peak hours, and pilion ang intersections na busy. Muhangyo lang ta na patas-an lang nila (motorists and passengers) ilang pasensya na dili sila ka left turn kay ang gitanaw man is ang kinabag-an na concern,” Tumulak explained.
Concerns of each traffic management office were tackled; specifically, in areas expected to be choke points during the Holy Week.
For Talisay City, Tumulak said traffic congestion is experienced mostly in the corner of Laray and the South Coastal Road, and Lawaan and South Coastal Road. For Minglanilla, City of Naga, and San Fernando, concerns are mostly on the churches along the road. Also, in San Fernando, an ongoing road rehabilitation may pose as another problem.
Since there was no representative for the Department of Public Works and Highways during the meeting, Tumulak said they asked the office of Rep. Gullas to clear the roads this coming Holy Week and to pull-out all heavy equipment.
He said they also requested DPWH to install road safety signs on unfinished projects and unpaved roads.
In Carcar City, a new diversion road will be opened for motorists to no longer need to pass by the choke point in the rotunda area.
According to an advisory released by the Carcar City Information Office, the new diversion road will be opened starting March 28, 2018 at 1:00 pm.
Motorists are advised to pass through the roads to the new Carcar City Hall leading to Provincial Hospital then make a left turn to the National Highway either to Sibonga or Barili. Signages will be put in place and traffic, tanod and PNP personnel will be in the area to guide motorists.
Tumulak calls on all personnel of traffic offices to stay in constant communication with the traffic management team to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and a peaceful Holy Week.
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