Monday, May 15, 2006
New traffic measures set for totally closed bridge
By Chino Paulo F. Tuba
Intern, Liceo de Cagayan University
STARTING 12 a.m. Monday, the Carmen Bridge will be closed to the public and the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) has now set up new measures to decongest traffic in several areas in Cagayan de Oro City.
Mayor Vicente Emano announced Sunday that he has already approved the shifting of working hours at City Hall from the usual 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., making it 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. instead starting Tuesday.
Traffic administration chief Ramon Tabor and traffic engineer Nonito Oclarit said the Carmen Bridge will be closed starting midnight of May 14 or early hours of May 15 until May 18 to pave way for the repair/retrofitting of the 50-year-old Ysalina Bridge, popularly known as Carmen Bridge.
Tabor and Oclarit both expect that traffic will be heavy once Carmen Bridge is totally closed, as there will only be two bridges -- Taguanao-Balulang and Marcos Bridge -- that will be serving the public.
He said they have already identified the chokepoints and will be implementing a new rerouting scheme starting this Monday.
Oclarit for his part said they will be deploying additional traffic enforcers with some of them working extra hours while other officers who used to have desk jobs will now be among those on the field.
He said they will be fielding traffic enforcers at the Carmen and Kauswagan Junction to Marcos Bridge as well as at Licoan, Velez and City Hall areas.
"Wala na mahimo ang publico niini pero buhaton namo ang tanan para ma-minimize ang traffic (The public cannot do much but we will do our best to minimize the traffic)," he said.
By May 15-18, Tabor said routes plying La Buena Vida/Grand Europa, Pueblo De Oro, Villaverde, Scions-Canitoan, Xavier Heights, Balulang, Zayas-Landfill and Macanhan-Balongis will, this time, be allowed only up to Barangay Carmen only.
"Mao kini ang mga PUJ nga hangtud lang sa Barangay Carmen," he said.
During this time, he added, routes plying Iponan-RA and Bulua-B1, Camp Evangelista-C1, NHA-RA, Patag-Apovel, Terry Hills, Bayabas-RA, Bonbon-RA, Kauswagan-RA, Pagatpat, PN Roa, R1 routes they will go straight to Cogon Market using the Marcos Bridge.
Also, by June 1- 23, Tabor said there will be a "one-way traffic for the bridge for those coming from the Barangay Carmen side towards the City Hall area."
He said routes plying the the La Buena Vida/Grand Europa, Pueblo De Oro, Villaverde, Scions-Canitoan, Xavier Heights, Balulang, Zaya-Landfill and Macahan-Balongis will, this time, pass through the Carmen Bridge but will go back to the Barangay Carmen side using the Pelaez Bridge.
He added that for jeepneys plying Iponan-RA and Bulua-B1, Camp Evangelista-C1, NHA-RA, Patag-Apovel, Terry Hills, Bayabas-RA, Bonbon-RA, Kauswagan-RA, Pagatpat, PN Roa, R1 routes they will go straight to Cogon Market using the Marcos Bridge.
Meanwhile, Emano over his regular Saturday program over Sandy 101 FM announced that he has received a recommendation from Tabor that it is best to move City Hall's working hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
He said he understands that traffic is monstrous while the bridge is temporarily closed for repairs.
"Ug mao sige sila ka late ug manga-suspended na hinoon (That is why a number of our City Hall workers are late and may just be suspended)," he said.
Because of this, Emano said he has already passed an executive order pertaining to this but that he will have to consult City Hall workers.
"Ako na pirmahan pero ako sa silang istoryahon ani inig Monday (I already signed the order but I will have to formally inform them about it this Monday)," he said adding that this new working schedule will start this Tuesday.
(May 15, 2006 issue)
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