Motorists hit MMDA rerouting plan

Motorists, commuters and residents that will be affected by the closure on Monday of the Tullahan Bridge on McArthur Highway at the boundary of Valenzuela City and Malabon, denounced yesterday the rerouting plan of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that is expected to result in a monstrous traffic jam in the affected areas.

The motorists, particularly the drivers of buses, jeepneys and other passenger vehicles expect the alternative routes offered by the MMDA and the local traffic officials were not properly inspected and road obstructions were not cleared in the congested sidestreets that might not accommodate the heavy volume of vehicles that will make a detour when the Tullahan Bridge is closed for repairs tomorrow.

"We are really running out of time but we will know on Monday, during the dry-run the effect of the rerouting plan," Marlon Fortich, deputy chief of MMDA’s traffic unit in northern Metro Manila, told The STAR.

Fortich said that the scheme is not yet final and could still change depending on the result of the trial run on Monday.

Emerito Santos, president of Pinag-Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper and Operators Nationwide (Piston) in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela (Camanava) area, expressed doubts over the effectiveness of the rerouting plan.

He said the MMDA should clear all road obstructions and deploy more traffic enforcers in the alternate routes to keep traffic flowing smoothly. "We will know on Monday," he said.

The MMDA bared recently alternative routes on the closure of Tullahan Bridge, the main link at the boundary of Malabon and Valenzuela that connects Metro Manila and Bulacan.

Affected motorists are advised to observe the following re-routing schemes:

All northbound vehicles coming from Caloocan City north side must take Gov. Pascual St., then turn right to M. H. del Pilar St. to Yakal St., right to Gov. Santiago St. or straight to M.H. del Pilar St. towards destination, while light vehicles could take Victoneta Ave. then turn left to Vine street to Pio Valenzuela street towards destination.

Those coming from Caloocan City west side and Malabon City must take M.H. del Pilar St. to Yakal St., then turn left to Gov. Santiago St. or straight ahead to M.H. del Pilar St. towards destination.

Vehicles coming from Quezon City east side and EDSA must take M.H. del Pilar St. to Yakal street, then left turn to Paso de Blas/Maysan Road towards destination or right turn at L. San Diego St., left at F. Lazaro St. to T. Santiago St. towards destination.

All southbound vehicles en route to Caloocan City west side and Malabon City must take McArthur Highway, right to Gov. Santiago to Yakal, then left to Gov. Pascual towards destination or take M. H. del Pilar to Yakal street towards destination.

All vehicles on north side could take McArthur Highway, right turn at Gov. Santiago to Yakal, left turn at Gov. Pascual towards destination or take M. H. del Pilar to Yakal, right turn at Gov. Pascual towards destination. Light vehicles must take McArthur Highway, left turn at Pio Valenzuela to Vine street to Victoneta Avenue towards destination.

All vehicles toward EDSA, Quezon City or on east side must take McArthur Highway, left turn at T. Santiago to F. Lazaro, turn right at L. Santiago, left turn at Paso de Blas then right turn at Malinta Exit towards destination or take McArthur Highway, left at Maysan Road to Paso de Blas, right turn at Malinta Exit towards destination or take McArthur Highway, left turn at A. Pablo street to Gen. T. de Leon towards destination.

The traffic rerouting scheme would last for about 150 days or until the Tullahan Bridge reconstruction project would be completed in August. – Pete Laude