APEC traffic dry run today

CEBU, Philippines - Nine days before the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, a traffic dry run will be done today to test the extent of traffic and security preparation the three cities of Cebu hosting the event have made so far.

 “We will have a dry run starting 9 a.m. today,” said Cebu City Traffic Office Operations Chief Jonathan Tumulak.

He, however, said there would be no road closures.

After attending the meeting with the traffic management team of the Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City yesterday, Tumulak urged commuters, drivers, and the public to brace for traffic changes.

Cebu will host the third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting from August 22 to September 6 this year.

The traffic dry run is aimed at determining the time that would be consumed as delegates travel from one venue to another.

The hotels that will house the delegates are Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa in Lapu-Lapu City, Radisson Blu Cebu in Cebu City, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, and Marco Polo Plaza Cebu in Cebu City.

Another dry run would also be done next week.

Tumulak said there is a need to have a traffic dry run to ensure smooth traffic flow during the actual event.

Tumulak said the CCTO has excluded the idea of having APEC exclusive lanes along the corridor.

“Among gihimo nga kalit (dry run) para maka-check og kalit sa publiko kay mag-expect ta sa actual nga kalihokan sa APEC, mag-expect gyud ta og kalit nga kausaban sa dagan sa traffic kay it’s part of the security plan,” he said.

 “No road closures pero sa dalan, dunay nag-una nga personnel, ilang ipadaplin una ang mga nag-unang mga sakyanan, atong ipa-stop ang mga sakyanan sulod sa intersections and mo-give way sa convoy ang atong ablihan kun makaagi ang last sakyanan,,” he added.

Today, the traffic management team will start from Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City to the new bridge, to Plaridel Street, Ouano Avenue, Serging Osmeña Boulevard, to Pope John Paul II Avenue, to Salinas Drive, and to Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.

For the rerouting of public utility jeepneys, CCTO will not allow PUJs to traverse Juan Luna Avenue from the junction of Serging Osmeña Avenue to Archbishop Reyes Avenue.

Specifically, PUJs from the north, except Mandaue PUJs, while traversing Cebu North Road, should  turn left to Logarta Street, to Urot Street, left turn to Cabahug Street, right turn to S. Osmeña Avenue, right turn to Gen. Maxilom Avenue, right turn to J.C. Veyra Street, and left turn to the access road going to White Gold Terminal.

From White Gold Terminal, they should follow the access road, right turn to J.C. Veyra Street, left turn to Gen. Maxilom Avenue, left again to S. Osmeña Avenue, to  Ouano Avenue, left turn to the access road beside SM Hypermart, right turn to Logarta Street, then to the point of origin.

PUJ route number 03Q shall follow Luzon Avenue from Ayala Terminal, to Samar Loop, right turn to Mactan Road, right turn  to  M.J.  Cuenco Avenue, left turn to General Maxilom Avenue, left turn to J.C. Veyra Street, left turn to Road North 7 (road to Conching Restaurant), left turn to A. Soriano Street, right turn to Gen. Maxilom Avenue, right turn to Access Road (back of CIC), then to Ayala again.

PUJ route number 06H shall follow Mindanao Avenue from Ayala Terminal, right turn to Samar Loop, left turn to Mactan Road, right turn to M.J. Cuenco Avenue, left turn to Gen. Maxilom Avenue, left turn to J.C. Veyra Street, left turn to road to Conching Restaurant, left turn to A. Soriano Street, right turn to General Maxilom Avenue, right turn to Access Road (back of CIC), then to Ayala.

PUJ route numbers 04L and 04M, on the other hand, shall follow Luzon Avenue from Ayala Terminal, right turn to Samar Loop, left turn to Mactan Road, right turn to M.J. Cuenco Avenue, left turn to General Maxilom Avenue, left turn to J.C. Veyra Street, left turn to road to Conching Restaurant, left turn to A. Soriano Street, right turn to General Maxilom Avenue, and right turn Gorordo Avenue before proceeding to their destination.

For 03L PUJs, they should turn right to Archbishop Reyes Avenue from Cabantan Street, take a U-turn under the flyover, back to Archbishop Reyes Avenue, left turn to Mindanao Avenue; while PUJs from Mandaue and Mabolo that traverse M.J. Cuenco Avenue shall proceed straight to M.J. Cuenco Avenue.

Mabolo PUJs bound for Panagdait shall take only M.J. Cuenco Avenue, then turn left to F. Gochan Street or Tres Borces Street.

South PUJs going to the SM Terminal traversing S. Osmeña Avenue or Benedicto Street shall proceed to J.L. Briones Street before making a U-turn at the end of the median island, then turn back to their point of origin.

PUJ route numbers 17B, 17C, 17D, 04B and 04C coming from downtown to JY Square should proceed to Camp Lapu-Lapu, then to Apas. From Apas, they should proceed to the IT Park, Del Mar Street, right turn to Governor Cuenco Avenue, passing through the TESDA flyover to Archbishop Reyes Avenue.  For the 7B, 17D and 04B routes, they should turn right for Gorordo Avenue, and then left turn N. Escario Street to their usual route.  For 17C  and 04C PUJs, they must turn left to Gorordo Avenue and to their usual route.  — / RHM (FREEMAN)