Traffic back to normal at Capitol vicinity

CEBU, Philippines - After utilizing the Capitol compound as diversion route for a week, the vehicle traffic going to M. Velez Street is back to normal effective yesterday.

Lawyer Rafael Christopher Yap, head of the City Traffic Operations Management, announced that traffic along M. Velez Street is back to usual after the road concreting project of the Department of Public Works and Highways from N. Escario Street up to the M. Velez bridge has been completed.

 “I am assuming they are done. There is no more need for further closure of M. Velez,” he said.

Provincial administrator Mark Tolentino said the Capitol compound would not be utilized as diversion route anymore. Vehicles from Escario Street and Osmeña Boulevard should now take the usual traffic scheme.  The access road inside the Capitol compound was opened for vehicles since August 30 to allow the government concreting project. It was supposed to last for 21 days but the DPWH-7 was able to have it done in just a week.

“I think it was fine. I didn’t see any problem…   We should go back to normal,” Tolentino told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Cebu Provincial Board has authorized Governor Hilario Davide III to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the CITOM to allow the latter to use and develop the 352 square meter of province-owned property along Governor Cuenco Avenue or the Banilad road.

The property will be used as loading and unloading bays. The property is located across Aboitiz and Cebu Country Club.

Yap said the CITOM will shoulder the expenses for the development and use of the said property, including the maintenance and upkeep of the area.

Under the condition of the agreement, the property shall be used exclusively for the specific purpose proposed by CITOM.

CITOM also assured to provide security in the area and deploy personnel to enforce the traffic law.  Yap, however, made it clear that the use of the provincial property does not mean ownership but just temporary.

“The effectivity of MOU is until one party decides not to use it anymore that is the time that the MOU will no longer be effective. If the province decides to develop the property then there’s no problem,” he said.

He added that the construction of the pocket lanes or the loading and unloading bays would help ease traffic congestion in the area.  (FREEMAN)