HPG takes on Cubao challenge
After decongesting Balintawak and Pasay chokepoints, the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) is now gearing for the Cubao challenge.
And no less than the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ricardo Marquez experienced the bottleneck when he was stuck in traffic for an hour between Kamuning and Cubao yesterday.
“The most challenging chokepoint is not Balintawak and Pasay
because we have already decongested them, I think it is Cubao,” said Marquez.
Marquez pointed out the existence of two provincial bus stations in Kamuning that could be the source of the traffic buildup.
One of the solutions that will be considered in their discussion, Marquez said is the transfer of some bus stops in other places and limit the lanes being occupied by private vehicles in Kamuning to Cubao area.
“So this will be the focus of our HPG to lessen the travel time in that area,” he noted.
Since Monday, the EDSA sidewalks in Cubao area have been cleared of vendors who turned the sidewalks and overpass as their stalls.
Supt. Oliver Tanseco, the HPG spokesperson admitted the traffic congestion in the Cubao area.
“The problem really is the volume of the vehicles. But we will continue crafting measures to address this problem and right now, the initial assessment is also to clear the roads that serve as way out of EDSA,” said Tanseco. Clear alternate
routes He said both the alternate routes and the roads leading to EDSA should also be cleared of obstructions such as vehicles parked along the road, passenger jeepneys and tricycles loading and unloading passengers anywhere and vendors selling their wares on the sidewalks.
The proposal has already been raised during the meeting between the HPG and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Marquez said aside from EDSA, there are routes that need attention.
“There are areas near EDSA that contribute to the congestion. So the approach should not be limited to EDSA alone,” Marquez noted.
Contingent of 150 Marquez said they are assessing the traffic situation to see if there is still a need to beef up the current 96 HPG personnel deployed at six choke points along the stretch of EDSA. The HPG contingent is augmented by 10 policemen from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) per chokepoint.
“We stay at 150. If there would be challenging situations, HPG director will take some of his men from the office,” said Marquez.
“But those are momentary deployments. If the situation is already diffused, they could go back to their offices,” he added.
Happy PNoy
Portions of EDSA still crawl in traffic but Marquez said the President is happy with the initial outcome of the HPG takeover of EDSA on Monday in a text message sent by Aquino.
“He said pass on the well done and we go on from success to another success,” said Marquez.