THE Mandaue City Government will no longer allow vehicles to stop, pick up or unload passengers on United Nations (UN) Ave. except in designated loading and unloading areas, starting today.
The new traffic rule will not only apply to drivers. Citation ticket for jaywalking will be issued to commuters who insist on alighting from a public utility vehicle on a non-designated area.
Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing made the announcement yesterday.
“That means that you will not be able to stop at any stretch of UN Ave. except for two designated loading and unloading zones (for PUJs). Both designated loading and unloading zones will be clearly marked and they are in the pocket lanes, which means that these are not on the main road of UN Ave.,” he said.
The terminal of Pacific Mall and the one across Phoenix Gasoline Station will be the loading and unloading bays for PUJs.
Bus and mini-bus can drop passengers on the existing pocket lane beside Pacific Mall.
Glenn Antigua, chief for operations of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), said private vehicles may stop to load or unload passengers in the said areas.
Antigua said vehicles that usually stop on UN Ave. are public utility jeepneys (PUJs) going to Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City.
UN Ave. is one of the most congested areas in Mandaue when it comes to traffic, the mayor said. The City has been implementing measures to address the problem, he added.
Quisumbing also said traffic lights on UN Ave. will be manually handled by Team members.
Penalties
The mayor warned that corresponding fines will be imposed on anyone who violates the City’s traffic rules and regulations.
Quisumbing signed last week City Ordinance 14-2016-1220, which increases penalties of traffic violations.
Drivers who do not stop in designated areas or use the junction box will pay a fine of P1,000.
“Team also is directed to issue citations not only to PUJs and tricycles that load and unload, but also to the commuters. You cannot completely blame the PUJ drivers because at the end of the day they will stop where there are passengers, so we will be issuing jay walking citations to commuters who don’t enter or exit PUJs in designated loading and unloading zones on UN Ave.,” he said.
Aside from the citation ticket, the jaywalker will also have to pay a P50-fine.
Quisumbing clarified that he has no intention of phasing out PUJs or tricycles, but he just wants them to follow traffic rules.
