Saturday, February 02, 2008 Spillover compels Team to work with Citom
AUTHORITIES reported a 40 percent increase in the volume of traffic entering Mandaue City yesterday, as work started on the flyover in Banilad, prompting traffic enforcers from both cities to closely watch the affected streets.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes identified the main roads hit by spillover traffic as A.S. Fortuna, M.L. Quezon and M.C. Briones. Fortuna and Quezon are parallel streets. Briones stretches from the San Miguel brewery going north and is where public utility vehicles (PUV) from the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu and the northern towns converge.
Also hit by more congested traffic were Hernan Cortes and P. Remedio Sts., the parallel streets that cross A.S. Fortuna and M.L. Quezon.
The mayor already banned parking on both sides of these streets, and tow trucks were standing by yesterday to drag the cars of errant drivers.
As of noon, traffic was still moderate and manageable in the affected streets, said Mandaue City’s Nilo Quinain, Traffic Enforcement and Management (Team) acting assistant director.
But as of 4 p.m., traffic started to build up. The most badly affected were A.S. Fortuna; F.B. Cabahug, the access road leading to Ayala; Hernan Cortes and M.C. Briones.
Some vehicles also got stalled yesterday, drawing the sole wrecker truck of Mandaue City to the scene. Jadewell Parking System Corp. also started its towing services, Quinain said.
Quinain said they already coordinated with the Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom) for tow trucks in case they need additional help.
At least 50 personnel—30 from Team and 20 from Citom—will be deployed in these streets. Six Citom personnel already coordinated with Team officials near the Banilad junction.
But Citom will not arrest motorists in Mandaue, said Cortes, and will only help man the traffic.
A Mandaue City Traffic official, Senior Insp. Pat Padaon, said the Department of Public Works and Highways already started patching potholes with asphalt on P. Remedio and H. Cortes Sts.
But this will only be done at night, said Mayor Cortes. (OCP)
