‘No parking’ in Talisay highway

CEBU, Philippines — In response to the president’s challenge to local government units (LGU) to “give the roads back to the people,” Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas has ordered a “No Parking” policy along the national highway.

“The president sent a strong message to the LGUs to give the roads back to the people to ensure smooth traffic flow. For me, the president’s directive is commendable,” Gullas wrote in a Facebook post.

The policy will be implemented from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Linao and also at the Cebu South Coastal Road.

He added that this is just the beginning of “more serious implementation of our local traffic ordinances in Talisay City.”

City of Talisay-Traffic Operation Development Authority Head Joy Tumulak has been put in charge in the implementation of the “no parking” policy.

In Mandaue City, Mayor Jonas Cortes has bared his plans on how his new administration solves the traffic congestion in the city.

Working with the Department of Public Works and Highways during his incumbency as congressman of the sixth district for three years, Cortes ensured that over P6 billion worth of infrastructure projects were implemented all over the district.

These include the UN Avenue Underpass, the Ouano Avenue Concreting and the Drainage and Road Construction of Mantawi Drive and other significant projects that complimented the developments in Mandaue City.

Before he assumed office as city mayor, Cortes disclosed that he met with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) who intimated to him the results of the recently crafted Urban Transport Masterplan for Metro Cebu.

In the pipeline for immediate implementation is the Mandaue Coastal Road Viaduct that will span six kilometers and the Mandaue-Lapu-Lapu Link Bridge that will serve as the fourth connection between the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu. This multimodal bridge shall likewise serve the future Urban Mass Rapid Transit (UMRT) Coastal Line from the airport to Metro Cebu.

“Traffic has always been one of Mandaue’s most glaring problems. We need to adopt a comprehensive approach to solving our traffic challenge and closely work with Metro Cebu towns and cities to address it,” said Cortes.

Cortes is working closely with his ally, sixth district Representative Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon, to continue to implement infrastructure targeted and designed to alleviate the congestion points in the city.

He said that there are feasibility studies for infrastructure interventions in the intersections of U.N. Avenue – M.C. Briones Street (Pacific Mall); M.C. Briones – A.S. Fortuna Street (Hi-way Seno); H. Cortes St.– A.S. Fortuna St., and A.C. Cortes Avenue – D.M. Cortes (formerly Plaridel) St. and P. Suico – Cebu North Road.

“These interventions are carefully studied and public hearings will be conducted to ensure the least impact to existing and future businesses upon implementation,” Cortes said.

He also announced that they will also be implementing traffic engineering improvements such as flared intersections, directional signages, lane markings and junction boxes.

He is asking the City Council to pass a carefully studied and reasonable towing ordinance to enforce discipline against illegal parkings in much needed spaces on their limited city roads.

They will also study the traffic flow of tricycles in the city to minimize their passage in national roads and institute revisions to their routes to lessen the impact on the operators, drivers and the riding public by making them part of the multi-modal transport system through the Local Public Transport Plan together with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Cortes favors regulating the already widespread use of single motorcycles for public transport and in line with the pending legislation in Congress, the city shall institute policies in making this new means of transport reliable, safe and efficient as a public utility.

The City Council is now revisiting the Helmet and Mask Ordinance in order to determine its practicality and effectiveness as against its impact on public health and convenience so as not to put burden of preventing these crimes solely on the public.

“We intend to support the implementation of a Multi-Urban Transport Corridor for Metro Cebu, especially in Mandaue City, where we shall begin integrating the ‘complete street’ concept for our pedestrians and bike lanes to encourage zero-emission transport,” added Cortes. — GAN (FREEMAN)