Saturday, January 12, 2008 Odd-even scheme ‘to scare off’ customers
BUSINESSES fear the odd-even scheme that will be implemented during the Banilad flyover’s construction next month will cause them to fold up.
But Cebu City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, who himself will get affected when the project commences, said the City Council will not approve the scheme’s implementation without hearing the sentiments of stakeholders.
The council last Wed-nesday summoned the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 officials to attend its session on Wednesday to discuss the proposal.
Citom intends to conduct an experimental odd-even scheme starting Jan. 21 to prepare the public for the actual implementation, if the council approves it, on Feb. 1.
Jakosalem said he received numerous feedbacks from Banilad business owners and residents, who said the approach is unfair to them.
Misconceptions
“The owner of the BTC (Banilad Town Centre), in particular, immediately called me and said it (odd-even scheme) will kill their business,” he said.
But, he said, most complaints are misconceptions, as the businessmen and residents thought that the scheme will be implemented in the whole Banilad area.
“We expect public complaints, resistance, and negative feedback on our planned odd-even traffic scheme for the reason that it’s never been done in Cebu,” he said.
But he emphasized that the scheme will only be on the two lanes (one for each traffic direction) on the stretch where the flyover will be built.
That will roughly be from the A.S. Fortuna Ave. corner up to the Mahiga Bridge (J. Panis St., by Gaisano Country Mall) portion of Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave.
Jakosalem also said that unlike the odd-even scheme in Manila, where vehicles are barred from traveling on a particular day, other vehicles, or those covered by the scheme in a certain day, can still travel to the Talamban area using Mandaue City streets.
They are only prohibited in the immediate area where the flyover will be constructed, he said.
Not yet sure
“Besides, that is not 100 percent sure yet. The council has the right to object to it (odd-even scheme) if it (council) sees that it is not the best solution,” Jakosalem said in Cebuano.
He, however, admitted that the Citom board, which endorsed the scheme in its meeting last Wednesday, saw no other way to reduce the number of vehicles in the area to minimize as much possible the resulting traffic congestion.
WTG Construction and Development Construction promised to finish the project in four months. (RHM)
