AT LEAST 11 staging areas and a new traffic scheme are being planned along Marcos Highway in a bid to traffic congestion for travelers en route to Baguio City.
Chief Inspector James Acod, chief of the Tuba Municipal Police Station Police, and Chief Inspector Oliver Panabang of the Baguio City Police Office conducted a dialogue on December 13 with the business sector and truckers for the establishment of staging area along Marcos Highway for the Yuletide season.
The Tuba top cop said those who attended the dialogue were members of the Association of Benguet Trucks, chicken dung traders, Balintawak vegetable dealers, tankers, gasoline station representatives, Baguio and Benguet aggregates, cutflower truckers’ associations and bus companies, among others.
The meeting was set after officials observed that trucks and buses were beating the scheduled truck ban of the City of Baguio.
“If within two hours they get to see they don’t meet the truck ban, they will stop, and will stay within identified staging area along Marcos Highway and for them not to park within Goldrich area, instead, to be utilized as additional lane for the buses, and UV Express,” Acod said.
Effective December 14, SUVs and light vehicles going to Kadmangan, City limit, Poblacion, Tuba Benguet to Station 10 are advised to utilize the alternate route known as the Tuba-Poblacion Provincial road.
Vehicles bound for the south and La Union are advised to take Naguilian, Santa Lucia and Suello Village to avoid traffic along Station 5 going up to Baguio City to station 10.
For truckers and heavy vehicles, 11 staging areas will be utilized by close to 300 trucks.
Staging areas are Taloy Sur, Club House Palina, Salpang in Taloy Sur, Philhealth (Palina Restaurant), Caucalan Water Station (Petron), Realiza, Pag-ibig Housing, Bawek in Taloy Sur, Bayacsan Gas Station, Ifugao Pasalubong Area, Begis, Poblacion Gas Station, Badiwan viaduct bridge.