Celso tackles traffic woes amid road repairs
Mayor Celso Lobregat the other day convened representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), contractors, barangays and other agencies concerned in the ongoing road repairs and construction in national highways which bring about traffic congestion in most parts of the city.
The meeting, held late afternoon Tuesday, sought to devise ways on how to ease the aggravating traffic situation in different city intersections where construction works are being undertaken specifically during peak hours.
The repair and construction works on going in both east and west coasts of the city, are being undertaken by the national government specifically the District Engineer’s Office of the DPWH.
Mayor Lobregat was prompted to call the meeting following complaints concerning the traffic jams experienced in most parts of the city due to the construction work being undertaken in at least 5 areas: Veterans-Maria Clara L. Lobregat highway; junction San Ignacio bridge-Camins road; Junction Suterville-Calarian and the Canelar road leading to the airport and the St. Joseph School.
Lobregat during the meeting ordered the augmentation of people coming from the traffic division of the Zamboanga City Police Office, the Traffic Enforcement Team, the concerned barangays and contractors to man the traffic day in an day out, in areas where construction work is being undertaken.
“Without sufficient people manning or directing traffic in these areas, the situation will aggravate”, the mayor said.
He likewise instructed the District Engineer and the contractors undertaking the different projects to limit the area of work, say 10-20 meters at a time instead of the present 40 meters to alleviate the traffic situation.
Immediately the following day (Wednesday), the augmentation of people manning traffic took effect and other measures, such as the declaration of one way traffic in some working areas were implemented.
“We have different situations in the different working areas or intersections, so we the measures to be implemented will vary”, the mayor said in an interview after the meeting attended by District Engineer Merham Acas, City Engineer Luis Despalo, OIC City Legal Officer Norberto Patriarca, Assistant City Administrator Elmeir Apolinario, Traffic policemen led by the Police Traffic Division Chief, barangay officials from Baliwasan, Sam Jose Gusu, Calarian, Sta. Maria, San Roque, St. Nino, Canelar, Barangay Affairs executive assistant Felizardo de las Penas, Executive Assistant Amilpasa Bandaying and representatives from the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and others concerned.
Lobregat has also tasked the City Administrator’s Office to meet with heavy truck owners and shipping forwarders to study the possibility of limiting movement of heavy trucks especially during peak hours in the traffic-prone areas. The city government has an existing executive order related to heavy trucks and Mayor Lobregat wants it properly studied and revised to fit to the present situation.
The chief executive expected the situation in the different affected areas to be improved in the days to come.
“We ask the motorists to have patience. These are improvements undertaken by the DPWH but the city government is doing everything possible to ease the situation”, the mayor said explaining why he met with the people concerned.
He added that traffic woes due to road repairs and construction are problems that cannot be avoided “but as the signboard says: sorry for the inconvenience because this is where your taxes are going”. (Sheila Covarrubias)