CAGAYAN de Oro City Hall should ask the municipal governments of Libona and Manolo Fortich towns in Bukidnon province to allow trucks to pass through their areas in order to help ease the traffic congestion being experienced at the national highway in Barangay Puerto, an administration councilor said yesterday.
“(If it’s possible) we can ask the (municipal governments of Libona and Manolo Fortich towns) to allow trucks coming from their Bukidnon not to pass through Puerto highway but through their areas. From there the trucks can pass through Barangays Indahag to Camaman-an then to JR Borja Extension and onward to the coastal highway,” Councilor John Michael Seno said in Visayan.
Councilor Seno, who chairs the 20th City Council’s engineering committee, made the suggestion during Monday afternoon’s City Council session hours after Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) chief Nonito Oclarit gave updates on the traffic situation along the national highway in Barangay Puerto.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is implementing a five-phase road widening project at the highway of which the first phase is underway.
Oclarit said last Friday’s congestion occurred after the project contractor closed down two lanes instead of only one.
“Specifically the lane (being worked on by the contractor) is the right side facing the west (for those coming from the outside going to the city). Last Friday’s traffic congestion occurred when the contractor started work on the second lane (contrary to what was agreed on),” Oclarit said.
Oclarit said the second lane wasn’t scheduled for repair. Aggravating the traffic was the presence of traysikads and bao-bao (motorized tricycles) on the highway.
“We’re reminding the bao-bao and traysikad (pedicab) drivers that they’re not allowed to operate on the Puerto highway),” Oclarit said, adding that they will also take action on ambulant vendors and illegal terminals on the highway.
Last Friday’s heavy traffic congestion stranded both commuters and motorists going to and out of Cagayan de Oro City for three to four hours on the Puerto highway.
While saying that the traffic situation had improved at the Puerto highway since Monday, Oclarit said they are monitoring the situation and will ask the municipal governments of Libona and Manolo Fortich for assistance in easing the traffic in Puerto.
Also during Monday’s council session, Councilor Malvern Esparcia said better coordination is crucial between City Hall, DPWH, and other stakeholders to avoid a repeat of last Friday’s traffic congestion.
Councilor Edgar Cabanlas also said the City Council should use its authority to hold erring contractors accountable by declaring them “undesirables.”
“What’s important is we pass legislation to create the City Infrastructure Management Board so we can conduct an inventory of DPWH projects for the year and call their attention along with the contractors on any delays or problems encountered during their implementation of the projects,” Seno said in Visayan. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)
