“No left turn” policy in Country Mall area now permanent

CEBU, Philippines - Starting today, vehicles plying the Banilad-Talamban corridors are no longer allowed to make a left turn from the junction of Country Mall.

This is to smoothen the flow of traffic along J. Panis Street and Gov. Cuenco Avenue, according to the City Traffic Operations Management, which halted the interim 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. “no left turn policy” at Country Mall and instead imposed it permanently.

 Outgoing CITOM executive director Rafael Yap advises motorists plying the BanTal area to heed the “no left turn policy” to help ease the flow of traffic in the area which is where heavy traffic congestion forms.

 Yap said they already coordinated with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board over the new policy.

 “We’ll be implementing certain traffic rerouting and not just improving the BanTal traffic but the general flow during Christmas season,” he said.

 With this, public utility jeepneys coming from Consolacion will make a U-Turn along A.S. Fortuna Avenue while motorists from the Cebu City proper wanting to enter Gaisano Country Mall are advised to use the J. Panis Street and the road leading to Montebello Hotel and take a left turn to Gaisano Country Mall.

 The PUJs with the Talamban route are free to ply the road. However, they will no longer be allowed to utilize the jeepney stop near country mall once pocket lanes are in place in other areas along the route.

 Yap said they are still negotiating with other property owners to have a PUJ stop or pocket lanes.

 CITOM earlier identified 10 supplementary pocket lanes that will be placed along the BanTal corridor eyed to improve the existing traffic flow in the area.

 The identified areas are across Gaisano Country Mall; beside University of Cebu-Banilad; the triangle property along J. Panis Street; the province-owned property in Cebu Country Club; the Aboitiz Corporate Center; and the stretch from Paradise Village to TESDA flyover.  (FREEMAN)