CCTO observes ‘smooth’ traffic on N. Bacalso Ave.
Traffic on N. Bacalso Ave. in Cebu City, where work on Phase 2 of the P683-million underpass project is ongoing, is now running smoothly following the implementation of a new traffic rerouting scheme, an official said.
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) operations head Francisco Ouano told Sun-Star Cebu that a bottleneck in the affected area, especially during peak hours, has been minimized since the implementation of the new scheme yesterday morning.
“The new route definitely eased congestion since the affected area is the northbound lane and it gets pretty hectic during the day. Hopefully, the public will be able to adjust soon,” he said.
Ouano said that temporarily banning mini-buses, buses and trucks from taking the main thoroughfare has also helped allevi- ate congestion.
All vehicles are expected to follow the new route for the next three to four months, or until Phase 2 of the project is finished.
Ouano said that once Phase 2 is completed, the affected portion of N. Bacalso Ave. will be opened again to all northbound vehicles. Road closure, this time on the southbound lane, will follow once work on Phase 3 of the project starts.
To avoid stress and heavy traffic, especially during peak hours, Ouano advised the public to leave their homes early.
Although Mayor Tomas Osmeña has pointed out that the City Government is not obliged to deploy enforcers to man traffic in the area, Ouano said that they will still station 20 personnel for the duration of the project to ensure that motorists follow traffic rules. /