No left turn policy at Escario starts today

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City government yesterday started removing concrete barriers on Escario Street and will implement today a no left turn policy going to Juana Osmeña Street.

Vehicles coming from Gorordo Avenue are not allowed to turn left to Juana Osmeña. Mayor Michael Rama ordered a temporary implementation of the policy as a way of experiment to address the traffic congestion along the area.

Depending on the results of the experiment today, Rama will decide whether or not to continue the experiment in the next succeeding days. The City Traffic Operations and Management will deploy today at least 20 enforcers to monitor the traffic situation in the area.

Earlier, the mayor ordered the removal of permanent divisions and concrete barriers on the street to widen the road for vehicular traffic. Rama has also ordered to reduce the center island near the Capitol building.

His directives stemmed from his personal experience of the traffic congestion in the area.

CITOM operations chief Jonathan Tumulak said that at least 58 concrete barriers were removed in yesterdays operation.

Tumulak said that CITOM will resume today the removal of the remaining barriers along Juana Osmeña Street.

Rama said that CITOM should fast track the removal of the concrete barriers and permanent divisions to pave the way for the implementation of the traffic experiment. Tumulak is positive that they will finish the operation today.

On the suggestion of Rama to include the internal road of the Capitol grounds for vehicular access, Tumulak said he will discuss the matter with the representatives of the provincial government on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways is backing the city government’s traffic schemes.

The DPWH-7 director Ador Canlas said they would be supporting traffic experiments that local government units would want to materialize to further resolve traffic problems that troubles motorists and passengers.

Canlas, however, expressed concern over other national road projects that need to be done before the Asia –Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.

“We would always support their plans especially in addressing traffic problems. Our main concern is, we hope the implementation of these schemes would not cause delay on the completion of other projects,” he said.

In the course of implementing the plan, he said, local government units hold the enforcement of the traffic scheme while their office handles the engineering works for the desired plan on reducing the center island.

He added that each sector needs to carry out their corresponding responsibilities, while coordination is also essential. — (FREEMAN)