Philippine Daily Inquirer

Flyover closure deferred after QC folk clamor

DOTr agrees to postpone closure of Tandang Sora flyover, intersecti­on to March 2

- KRIXIA SUBINGSUBI­NG —STORY BY

The Department of Transporta­tion has granted the request of the Quezon City government to defer by one week the closure of the Tandang Sora flyover and intersecti­on. Instead of this Saturday, the busy intersecti­on will be closed starting March 2 to give city officials and the Metropolit­an Manila Developmen­t Authority enough time to install signs, designate alternate routes and clear all obstructio­ns.

The Department of Transporta­tion (DOTr) approved on Thursday the Quezon City government’s request to move the closure of the Tandang Sora flyover and intersecti­on from February 23 to March 2.

The weeklong reprieve came after Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and the city council asked the Metropolit­an Manila Developmen­t Authority (MMDA) to give them time to prepare for the closure which was expected to last until 2020.

Among those consulted by the MMDA about the city government’s request were DOTr and its private partner for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 7 project, San Miguel Corp.

Major adjustment­s

“While we want the constructi­on of the MRT 7 to proceed as fast as possible, the DOTr also understand­s that major adjustment­s have to be made by residents, commuters and motorists affected,” the DOTr said in a statement.

The closure of the fourlane intersecti­on and flyover was to give way to the constructi­on of the Tandang Sora station, one of the 14 stations of the 22-km MRT 7 line.

The MMDA estimated that more than 100,000 motorists passing through Commonweal­th Avenue and Tandang Sora intersecti­on would be affect- ed by the shutdown.

The agency has given itself until Sunday to clear the alternate routes on Luzon, Visayas and Congressio­nal Avenues and other roads of illegally parked ve- hicles and other obstructio­ns.

At the same time, barangay officials in Districts 2, 3, 5 and 6—areas that would be affected by the closure—have been tasked with identifyin­g other possible alternate routes, including subdivisio­n roads, to decongest traffic, Belmonte said.

She added that they would also begin installing signs for Uturn slots and alternate routes where motorists would be diverted.

Two temporary U-turns would be opened on Commonweal­th Avenue in the meantime: one across Microtel at UP Techno Hub and another in front of CW Home Depot.

According to Belmonte, the city council has yet to be informed about future road closures due to the ongoing MRT 7 line constructi­on.

In a consultati­ve meeting held on Wednesday, MRT 7 contractor EEI Corp. told stakeholde­rs that it had been keeping the Office of the City Mayor abreast of traffic management plans.

However, the informatio­n was not shared with the city council, Belmonte said, adding that she had asked EEI Corp. to do so in the future.

Many of the 14 stations of the MRT 7, which will run from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan province to North Avenue in Quezon City, will be built on Commonweal­th Avenue.

Busy week ahead

“We thank DOTr for acceding to our request of delaying the closure for at least a week. This week will be very busy for all of us because this is the time we’ll be informing the public and hopefully, they can tell us their concerns and we can come up with some kind of solution,” Belmonte said in a statement.

Jordan Tolentino, former president of the Alliance of Quezon City Homeowners Associatio­ns Inc., also said the one-week postponeme­nt was very welcome.

“We saw during the public consultati­on that neither the public nor the barangay [officials] were consulted. Weare at a loss as to their plans,” he said.

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 ?? —JAMSTA ROSA ?? ONE-WEEK POSTPONEME­NT Quezon City officials heave a sigh of relief after their request to defer the closure of the Tandang Sora flyover and intersecti­on is granted.
—JAMSTA ROSA ONE-WEEK POSTPONEME­NT Quezon City officials heave a sigh of relief after their request to defer the closure of the Tandang Sora flyover and intersecti­on is granted.

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