In Quezon, cops appeal to motorists: Obey road rules

LUCENA CITY—THE highest-ranking police officer in Quezon yesterday advised Holy Week motorists along the Maharlika Highway to obey traffic laws and signs for safe travel.

“Obey traffic rules for smooth travel,” Senior Supt. Valeriano de Leon, officer in charge of the Quezon police office, said in a text message.

De Leon also appealed to media to make the public aware of road projects in Pagbilao and Atimonan towns.

“Our instruction is to arrest traffic violators particularly those running ‘ counterflow’ because they were of- ten the cause of long traffic gridlock,” Chief Insp. Francis Pasno, Pagbilao police chief, said over the phone.

Police and traffic authorities expect heavy volume of vehicles on the Maharlika Highway this Holy Week starting today and to peak on Wednesday and Thursday.

Last Thursday, De Leon and his key officials met with Quezon Gov. David Suarez and mapped out plans to ease traffic on the Maharlika Highway with the expected heavy influx of Bicolbound motorists.

During the meeting, De Leon said policemen would man traffic along the highway round the clock.

Since Saturday, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and several communications groups have started to man their posts on strategic spots of the Maharlika Highway to assist motorists.

Last week, pockets of road construction projects, mostly roadwidening works, between Pagbilao and Atimonan towns stranded hundreds of motorists for almost five hours.

The DPWH suspended road construction projects along the highway during the Holy Week, according to Pasno.

“We have now less potential traffic bottlenecks,” Pasno said.

LYN RILLON TRAFFIC bottlenecks common in Metro Manila like this would be common sights, too, in Quezon and other provinces when the annual Holy Week trek of millions of people starts.