Thursday, April 19, 2007 Espinoza: Flyover and ‘kapalmuks’ politicians By Elias L. Espinoza Free Zone
REP. Raul del Mar and the Department of Public Works Highways (DPWH) should rethink the plan to construct a flyover at the intersection of A. S. Fortuna St. and Gov. Cuenco Ave.
The cause of the traffic problem in Banilad is not as much the traffic lights in this intersection as the increase in the number of entities that generate traffic, like schools and new commercial centers. This is evident during school breaks.
I am not saying that del Mar or DPWH should put off the flyover project. For motorists, like me, the view is that if the flyover is but a short span, it will only worsen the traffic situation in this area.
Engr. Nick Leonor of DPWH Cebu City, in a chance meeting, told me that the span of the flyover will be short. It will start somewhere near Neo Neo restaurant and end before the entrance of the Banilad Town Center (BTC).
If the other edge of the flyover is at the BTC entrance, there will be more traffic headaches along this stretch of the road particularly during peak hours.
I am not a traffic engineer, but experience tells me that under the given situation the volume of traffic going in and out of BTC during peak hours will merge with the volume of vehicles approaching or going down the flyover.
I suggest that, to avoid the traffic lights in this intersection, del Mar would get more funds and construct a longer flyover or viaduct that will extend to the area after the Mahiga bridge.
It may cost more and will take time to construct but the goal of avoiding the maddening traffic in the Banilad area will be achieved
Forcing the construction of a shorter flyover will defeat the purpose because it will only aggravate the traffic situation in this stretch of road. *** This is not to intrude into the fiefdom of Citom chairman Jingjing Osmeña, but I think Citom should upgrade its traffic lights and road signs. Some of these are no longer appropriate under the present situation.
For example, the left turn lane light from the Banilad intersection going to A.S. Fortuna St. has become useless. If the left turn and main green lights are turned on together, the left turn lane light becomes redundant.
There are also traffic signs that cause confusion to some motorists. An example is the sign: “Turn right anytime with care.” Undisciplined drivers tend to abuse this sign. They turn right even when it is not safe.
***
Kapalmuks is the colloquial Tagalog term for thick faced. The term aptly describes the politicians who joined Manny Pacquiao’s motorcade around Metro Manila.
Manila politicians seeking elective posts in the May 14 polls shamelessly rode on the popularity of Pacman, who floored Jorge Solis in the eighth round of their match in San Antonio, Texas. There’s another word for it: “opportunists.”
Some politicians have this twisted belief that Pacquiao’s popularity can make them win in the elections. Or is it the other way around? I could not believe how low our politics has gone today.
And poor Bernabe Concepcion, the other Filipino boxer who brought honor to the country for also winning his fight. The welcoming party led by the Atienzas left him at the airport perhaps because he is not as popular as Pacquiao yet.
