Mandaue mayor defends zipper lane scheme adopted along UN Avenue

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luigi Quisumbing yesterday defended the zipper lane scheme adopted by the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) after receiving complaints that it only worsens the traffic situation in the city.

Several complaints have reached the Office of the Mayor and through social media that the traffic worsened in Butuanon Bridge near the Pacific Mall because of the implementation of zipper lane.

But according to Quisumbing, if TEAM had not come up with that idea, the traffic congestion in the area could reach up to the Municipality of Consolacion.

The mayor said the zipper lane allows vehicles coming from northern Cebu to pass through to the opposite lane as counter-flow so more vehicles can have access to UN Avenue and M.C. Briones Street.

"We have to do it to reduce the traffic volume kay kung dili ang trapik moabot sa Consolacion," Quisumbing said.

The city implemented the zipper lane traffic scheme in March 2016 during the term of Mayor Jonas Cortes to ease traffic congestion in M.C. Briones Street heading to Cebu North Road and the intersection going to UN Avenue.

Glenn Antigua, the head of TEAM, said the scheme will continue not only during peak hours but also during the time when there’s traffic congestion in the area. The zipper lane will be in effect from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. daily.

While the volume of vehicles coming from northern Cebu often congest the area at around 11 a.m., the zipper lane reportedly helped ease traffic as early as 8:30 a.m., Antigua said.

Aside from that, the TEAM is also set to make the intersection of JP Rizal Street a no-stopping area. Also, for vehicular traffic not to build up at the Maguikay flyover, trucks would only be allowed to pass under the flyover.

Antigua said they are continually making changes in their operations to address the perennial problem of traffic congestion in Mandaue. (FREEMAN)