This week, the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) implemented another experiment that is aimed to ease congestion in the Banilad-Talamban area.

The focus of the experiment is M. Cuenco Avenue, particularly the stretch from the Mahiga Bridge all the way to Paradise Village. Jeepneys are no longer allowed to load or unload passengers from Paradise Village to Country Mall both sides. Jeepneys southbound will have to enter Country Mall and pick up their passengers there. Jeepneys northbound will have to take J. Panis Street only. Private vehicles and taxis are the only ones allowed to use this stretch of M. Cuenco Avenue. I understand its purpose, which is to minimize the Jeepneys stopping to pick up passengers which affect traffic flow.

At first, I was concerned that the Apas road will be congested. Because with this new traffic flow scheme, Country Mall driveway which is the only exit of the Apas road will become slower since Jeepneys will be picking up passengers there. I was also concerned about J. Panis, which is a small road. Could it accommodate the volume of vehicles diverted there? In the beginning, it looked like that this experiment was like sweeping dirt under the rug. Decongest the main thoroughfare, but in turn congesting the smaller arteries.

Three days into the experiment and it did not seem so. Traffic was still heavy but moving in a tolerable pace and there are times of the day that this stretch is free and loose, which happens very rarely in normal circumstances. Although, there are some rough areas that needs polishing like the bottle neck in J. Panis Street, and the Paradise Village junction which causes a long line on the northbound lane. I am hoping that after several experiments in this area, our hard working men and women in CITOM will finally make a breakthrough. A CITOM official told me that these experiments would have to go through all kinds of road conditions and seasons.

I am looking forward to test this on Sinulog weekend. If this experiment survives that, then I guess it is safe to say that it can survive the others. In the meantime, all I can say to CITOM and its officials is: keep it up.