Traffic woes

Last week’s traffic in Consolacion got me scared to leave the house. The local government has tried to implement a no-left turn and closed intersections along the main highway. This means those that needed it to go to the other side of the road had to do a big U-turn, stopping traffic. This I felt made traffic even worse that the vehicles were now seen even up to the next town’s highway.

Our mayor has been bending over backwards just to ensure traffic will flow. However, with the impatience and complaints of motorists, it seems close to impossible. Today, after their thorough study and experiments, a trip outside the town will now only take about 15 minutes compared to a previous hour. The local government has received a lot of backlash but people seem to be enjoying the fruits of their labor. What’s disappointing about it is that there are still those who want to defy the rules set only when we have already enjoyed a faster trip around the town.

I can attest that traffic is indeed a sign of progress in a certain area but also a problem because it will cause people inconvenience. Consolacion is my hometown and in 20 years I have seen it grow so much.

Back then all I saw were green fields, lush swamps, and a very peaceful vibe. After 20 years we now welcome malls, more establishments, a new town center and many more opportunities for its people to grow. The traffic is an element for us to move forward in terms of the town’s status but it’s a very minute detail we should all adjust to.

Do I see the good in past days where the provincial government meddled in Consolacion’s traffic scheme? Well it’s but proper for the governor to put her hand in it because it’s a major thoroughfare for those going north. Also it would be a big slap to people’s faces who keep on bashing about the town when, in fact, everyone and every sector has been working hand-in-hand to address this problem. What people can do now is stop complaining and use those U-turn slots whenever they have to.

I must admit that the new scheme has also cost me a sense of disappointment that I would rather do my transactions in another area. But that is my preference and certainly not applicable to everyone. Everybody can do their own errands and other things wherever they want to but the issue of following traffic rules and schemes must always prevail.

This town’s tag line is “on and on”. I have high hopes that with this improvement, although a bit late, we can go on and on, maybe towards becoming a city or maybe towards becoming one of the areas in the country that we can be proud of. I wouldn’t trade 20 years of my life elsewhere, and as the gateway to the north I will always be proud of Consolacion.