THE Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) will implement a traffic scheme along CM Recto and adjacent streets for the opening of another big mall in Cagayan de Oro City this May.
RTA chief Jose Edgardo Uy said once the mall opens, the RTA will no longer allow left turns for those coming in and out of the mall and strictly implement a no parking policy along Osmeña Street.
Uy said barriers will also be installed in the middle of the highway to prevent motorists from turning left especially those coming from Lapasan village.
“Ang mahitabo diha, tanan mogawas ug musulod sa Sm Premier, dili sila pwede mag-left turn, right turn ra gyud tanan, kay once magpa-left turn, medyo mo-bukog gyud kay kanang naay uban nga mo left turn unya dili maka-diritso, maka-traffic siya (All vehicles which will come in and out of the mall, they will not be allowed left-turns, because once this happens, traffic will immediately build-up in the area),” he said.
The RTA is also mulling limiting the number of motor taxis or locally known as motorelas passing through Osmeña.
Initially, Uy proposed that all motorelas should not be allowed along Osmeña Street but was prevailed upon to allow Agora liners in the stretch.
“As recommended, Agora liners lang ang ipaagi, dili na mix, kay mao man gyud na ilang rota, dili nata magpatugot sa uban kay makadugang sa traffic tungod sa kadaghan nila. Ang ako gani initial recommendation diha nga wala nay motorela dapat ipaagi, pero naa man gyuy ilaha gyud ng rota diha, so lisod pud kaayo kuhaon sila (Agora liners will be the only motorela group which will be allowed to travel in the area, because if we won't limit them, they might cause traffic. Initially, we proposed that no motorela should be allowed there, but it's (Agora) route so we had to consider them),” he said.
The whole Osmeña stretch will be a no parking zone as well as parts of Gaabucayan, Agudo, and Captain Vicente Roa Streets.
The RTA chief said they will hold a one-month dry run for the new traffic scheme especially ahead of City Mayor Oscar Moreno’s approval of the RTA recommendations and eventual crafting of an executive order for the scheme’s immediate implementation.
Uy added the RTA team was relieved after learning that the parking lot of the new mall can accommodate about 1,500 vehicles, saying this would be a “big help” in easing the traffic and would discourage illegal parking in the vicinity.
But he said for the long-term, a pedestrian overpass should be built to link all the malls in the area.
“Like Trinoma, ang mga tao maglakaw na sa ibabaw sa highway. Naay nag-suggest nga ipa-meeting nalang ning mga malls kay posible nga sila ang mag-fund ana kay sa ila man gihapon padulong ang mga tao (Like Trinoma, the people can go to from one mall to another by just walking and using an overpass. Someone suggested that the malls could fund this project), but this is for our long-term proposal,” he said.