EVEN with the opening of the underpass in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, road congestion is still expected on N. Bacalso Ave. during peak hours, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) said.
On Monday morning, June 17, 2019, the CCTO observed a smooth traffic flow to and from the underpass, the first weekday since it was opened.
CCTO operation chief Francisco Ouano said the underpass helped decongest the junction of F. Llamas St. and N. Bacalso Ave. in Mambaling.
“We observed on Monday morning that the traffic flow in the area was very smooth. The only cause of congestion in some areas on N. Bacalso were the schools where some jeepneys picked up or dropped off students. But beyond that, we did not see any other problem. The traffic was smooth and easy-going,” Ouano said.
In the south district, Ouano said there was congestion in the areas near the Salazar Institute of Technology, Cebu Institute of Technology-University, Mambaling Elementary School and the University of San Jose-Recoletos.
Vehicles coming from Pardo area did not encounter heavy traffic while going inside the underpass, he said.
On peak hours, though, Ouano said heavy traffic is still expected in the Mambaling area due to the high volume of vehicles.
The CCTO estimates that up to 5,000 vehicles will use the P700-million underpass on weekends. The number would double on weekdays.
Buses and mini buses are not allowed to pass through the underpass, but jeepneys, vans-for-hire and taxis are allowed to do so.
Jeepneys bound for Barangay Punta Princesa in Cebu City are taking the side road.
Except for My Bus and KMK buses, which have stops on N. Bacalso Ave., the CCTO decided not to allow the 600 buses and mini buses to use the underpass.
The CCTO wants to avoid traffic inside the facility.
Buses and mini buses are directed to pass through the South Road Properties instead.
Trucks are also not allowed to pass through the underpass from 6 to 8 a.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m.
Earlier, Barili vice mayor-elect Julito Flores said the decision not to allow buses and mini buses to use the underpass is unfair.
Flores, the bus operators’ president, lamented that when the underpass was under construction, passengers and bus operators had to endure longer trips due to the heavy traffic in the vicinity of the project site. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, LRC)