CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has postponed his plan to ban private cars from accessing N. Bacalso Ave. during peak hours.
The prohibition will supposedly start on December 4 but the mayor has to cancel it temporarily because of the dilapidated roads, which will serve as alternative routes for private cars.
The postponement will be effective between one to two weeks depending on how long will it takes for the Department of Engineering and Public Works to complete the asphalting of the access roads.
The City's supply of asphalt is scheduled to arrive next week and works on the alternative roads near N. Bacalso Ave. will be a priority.
Earlier, Councilor Dave Tumulak also complained about the state of the alternative roads after the closure of the portion of N. Bacalso Ave. to pave the way for the construction of the P638-million underpass project.
The Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas agreed to work on it but months after the construction of the underpass project, Tumulak said alternative roads remain dilapidated.
"We will postpone the banning of cars for about a week or so because I received complaints that all the access roads are dilapidated. Give me a week or two and we will asphalt the roads and ban private cars," Osmeña told reporters.
Osmeña stressed that if it is reasonable, he is willing to listen and reconsider his decisions.
The complaints on the heavy traffic situation in the area also prompted Osmeña to propose the banning of private cars during peak hours.
When the ban will be implemented, Osmeña said those private car owners who will send their kids to school along N. Bacalso Ave. will be exempted.
"We have exceptions, children going to school if they have children in the car, they can go through. They just need to open their window," Osmeña said.
As proposed, the banning of private vehicles will start from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (VoxPop Cebu)
