Street now one-way again, rerouting at Ban-Tal area

CEBU, Philippines - Starting tomorrow, the Cebu City Transportation Office will implement back two traffic schemes involving Don Jose Avila Street and the Banilad-Talamban corridor.

Don Jose Avila St. will be made back into a one-way traffic, from Juana Osmeña St. to corner Osmeña Boulevard, and rerouting will be implemented again along the Banilad-Talamban corridor, CCTO acting department head Rafael Yap announced.

Don Jose Avila St. used to be a two-way traffic, Yap said, but after an evaluation they conducted, the said scheme proved to be inefficient.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to improve traffic flow in the city, we have begun evaluating our previous rerouting schemes to determine if these were successful in alleviating congestion or not," he told reporters.

With the changes, Yap said vehicles that will exit Osmeña Boulevard shall now turn right only.

"We just want to return to its original scheme as it seems that the new scheme is not working," he said.

As for the Banilad-Talamban stretch, he said public utility jeepneys from Mandaue City are no longer allowed to make a U-turn and enter J. Panis St.

Vehicles from Mandaue City going to Country Mall shall take the right turning lane beside the Mahiga Bridge, and then turn right to Country Mall.

From Country Mall, vehicles shall now turn left to Gov. Cuenco Avenue, turn right to A.S. Fortuna St., then back to Mandaue City.

"This is part of our ongoing efforts to assist to facilitate the flow of BanTal nga atong gi-reroute ang PUJs anang area-ha since it causes congestion anang portion ana nga corridor is turning to the PUJs going toward J. Panis," Yap said.

Instead of making them enter J. Panis St., Yap said, PUJs will utilize the old routes beside the flyover and the mall to reduce the volume of vehicles in the area.

Yap said CCTO is currently assessing all traffic scheme experiments in the city's streets to improve the traffic flow.

"In both instances, mura'g gi-terminate lang ang experiment kay wala man g'yud ingon nga na-resolve kay ga-assess man 'ta sa mga traffic schemes sauna. Mao na atong recommendations," he said.

As of now, he said the office is thinking of retaining the experiment along Salinas Drive and the two-way traffic near Ramos Market.

The CCTO head further said that they will also review the two-way traffic along C. Padilla St. and the Gen. Maxilom Avenue experiment wherein vehicles shall pass through Fuente Osmeña Circle before they could pass F. Ramos St.  (FREEMAN)