Citom, LTO give motorists flyers on SRP’s speed limit

CEBU, Philippines - The City Traffic Operations Management yesterday warned motorists they should avoid overspeeding on the Cebu South Coastal Road as no exceptions would be made against those who violate City Ordinance 801 (Traffic Code of Cebu City).

Traffic enforcers have already been deployed at the 300-hectare South Road Properties to ensure that motorists obey the 40 kilometers-per-hour speed the ordinance requires.

Based on orders by Mayor Michael Rama, though, signages were set up along the 12-kilometer, four-lane national road to remind motorist to stay within 30 kph.

CITOM Operations Chief Jonathan Tumulak said they would soon start apprehending those who would go beyond the speed limit set by CO 801.

Article 7 Section 2 of the ordinance provides that vehicles passing highways and streets without blind corners are only allowed a maximum speed of 40 kph.

Tumulak said motorists have to heed the measure to help curb vehicular accidents in the area. Based on their data, 1,617 vehicular accidents occurred at the SRP from 2008 to 2014, with 592 of these accidents involving motorcycles and causing the death of nine people.

Yesterday, CITOM and the Land Transportation Office-7 did a joint information dissemination campaign on the new traffic rules at the CSCR.

During the operation, CITOM impounded an unlicensed private vehicle. Those who went beyond the speed limit, however, were not apprehended yet but were instead given flyers on CO 801.

“Ignorance of the law excuses no one. But wala pa tay apprehensions, gibuhat nato maximum tolerance; but anytime soon, we will start apprehending. Pagbantay lang mo (motorists) because you have been duly warned,” Tumulak said.

To detect vehicles that go beyond the speed limit, he said they would use CITOM’s patrol cars as “speed detectors” in the meantime that they still do not have speed guns.

He said their cars would go back and forth on the entire stretch of the road at 40 kph. Those that overtake the patrol cars will be apprehended and made to pay P500 to P1,000, depending on the violations committed.

The traffic officers are assigned in “accident prone” areas at the SRP, such as El Pardo Street going to General Service Office warehouse, the baywalk near the Sugbo Building, the mouth of the viaduct near Ludo & Luym, the Mambaling junction, and the bridge joining the cities of Cebu and Talisay.— (FREEMAN)