THE Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) will change the traffic schemes on the Banilad-Talamban corridor and J. Avila St. starting Friday, September 29.
Changes the City Government introduced in these areas’ traffic some time last year are not effective, said CCTO executive director Atty. Rafael Yap.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to improve traffic flow in the city, we have begun evaluating our previous rerouting schemes to determine if these were successful in alleviating congestions or not,” he said.
Starting tomorrow, Yap said, all jeepneys coming from A.S. Fortuna in Mandaue City will no longer have access to J. Panis St.
Mandaue jeepneys that are going to the Country Mall will have to follow their old routes by turning right to the lane beside the Mahiga Creek Bridge.
They will exit the mall premises by turning left to Gov. Cuenco Ave., turn right to A.S Fortuna St., then back to Mandaue City.
Asked if the no-left-turn policy on the Banilad-Talamban corridor will no longer be implemented, Yap said the matter will still be discussed among establishments in the area. The no-left-turn policy was implemented by former mayor Michael Rama.
As to J. Avila St., Yap said that it will be back as a one-way road.
Based on their assessment, traffic congestion often develops at the junction of J. Avila and Juana Osmeña, especially on weekdays.
“Kung tinggawas sa klase, magkayagaw ang corridor. Sa Juana Osmena, daghan na og volume kay naa ang STC and Sacred Heart School (As soon as classes are released, the corridor gets chaotic. On Juana Osmeña, there are plenty of vehicles coming from St. Theresa’s College and Sacred Heart School.) We just want to return to its original scheme as it seems that the new scheme is not working,” he said.
Asked if there are other traffic schemes that will be reverted, Yap said the reevaluation of CCTO is still ongoing. It includes C. Padilla St., which has been made into a two-way road.
“It is next on our evaluation because right now, the problem is the flow of traffic,” he added.
CCTO is also reviewing the route of all vehicles that go to Gen. Maxilom Ave. They currently have to go all around Fuente Osmeña Circle before going to their destinations.