Drainage improvement clogs traffic flow

It’s been years since the famous American chef and TV personality, Anthony Bourdain, visited and tried the famous goat meat along First Street in Balibago. He was accompanied by our very own Chef Claude Tayag when they went for that hollowhorned animal experience. The late former Angeles Mayor Eugenio Suarez used to take this writer to that lane to relish the palatable kalderetang kambing. The goat meats here are still piquant but getting to this route nowadays is no picnic. The used to be free flowing traffic path is now frequently clogged. The factors of worsening congestion – the still on-going drainage project, passenger jeepney drivers violating traffic rules, pedestrians crossing anywhere, and the private motorists who parked their vehicles irresponsibly without thinking of the traffic impact.

This particular area is tricky when it comes to jurisdiction. Republic Act 9400 or the act amending R.A. 7227, under section 15, states that the Bayanihan Park (formerly known as Astro Park) consisting of about 7.5 hectares located outside the main gate of Clark Special Economic Zone is declared as a Freeport zone. It significantly diminished the jurisdiction of Angeles City. Now the said park including the terminal is currently being managed by mall giant, the SM City Clark. Sometime in 2010, a certain Ruben Soliman submitted a letter to the barangay captain of Balibago informing him of the former’s lawful rights over a huge land area of Bayanihan Park. One can just imagine the complexity of that whole area.

After reporting the point at issue, this writer noticed that enforcers from the ACTDO have added some pressure to manage the traffic in that area. The ACEPO headed by Gilbert Galang also helps in the sanitation and order in the same area, of course in coordination with SM and CDC.

The swinging drainage improvement is being supplied and constructed by contractor Superserve Corporation, and is a project of Clark Development Corporation, a proud member of the BCDA. The undertaking started November of last year. I’m pretty sure the officials of CDC won’t be happy to find out that their contractor did not meet the January 7 target completion date. The delay does not only worsen the congestion of traffic but also post risk on pedestrians especially the students of Jocson College. A number of complaints have been reported to this writer during the time when the entry point of C Avenue has been hollowed out and was lacking warning signage. Some drivers who were not aware of the excavation almost dab their front tires on the trench.

And while C Avenue was not passable, the construction workers left just a precarious narrow opening at the entry point of B Avenue, enough for a tricycle to pass through but challenging for large vehicles to maneuver. Obviously, there is a need for the contractor to fast track the job as the current situation aggravates the traffic problem along the main street. They should take advantage of the fair weather while the region is still under dry season. The delay has also started to take a toll on the businesses along the thoroughfare.

This columnist would also like to request the hardworking officers of Police Station 4 to always patrol this area especially from twilight to wee hours when employees are either rushing home from work or going to report for office.