People from walks of life share bridge woes

WITH the old Mactan Bridge closed for repair starting last Monday, vehicles crossing the Mactan Channel converged in the Marcelo Fernan Bridge resulting in horrendous traffic.

“Wala an jud tay mabuhat nga rerouting kay wala ma laing agianan,” said Frank Brazil, head of the City Traffic Management System (CTMS) of Lapu-Lapu City.

(We cannot do any rerouting because there is no other way.)

His counterpart Edwin Ermac of the Traffic Enforcement Agency in Mandaue (TEAM), agrees: “Husto naman ni ang set-up sa traffic. Gihimo naman namo tanan but due to the bulk of the vehicles it created traffic congestion not just in Lapu-Lapu but as well as in Mandaue”.

(We have done everything that has to be done.)

Ermac said that while they are containing the traffic problem in the two bridges, they also have to address the flow of traffic in the United Nations Avenue and Plaridel Street so as not to affect motorists and commuters traveling in the Cebu North Road.

Ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in the Cebu North Road which starts in Mandaue City according to Ermac is important as it would affect even traffic in Bogo City in the northernmost part of Cebu province.

He added that of the four-lane Fernan bridge, three lanes were dedicated to Lapu-Lapu City to ensure constrant flow of traffic from mainland Cebu to the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

44-year-old taxi driver June Sarsonas was among those left without a choice.

He said that he also can’t avoid going to Lapu-Lapu City if the passenger insist since it is his duty as a taxi driver.

Sarsonas, a taxi driver for 15 years told Cebu Daily News that his income was affected as he gets less trips and spends more fuel while his car is trapped in gridlock.

Sarsonas added other drivers, those driving jeepney, tricycle, and trisikad were also affected.

Hotel and Restaurant Management student Ronie Malinis, 19, of barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City was one of the thousands who walked across the old Mactan bridge to go to school yesterday morning. “Nisayo lang ko gyud ko og gikan sa among balay aron lakawon nalang nako diri sa bridge kay kon mosakay pa ko, layo na kayo og tuyokan sa second bridge, traffic pa kayo.” he said.

(I woke up early and decided to walk across the old bridge, rather than ride to the second bridge, which is far and traffic was very heavy.)

Asked if he can walk across the bridge for two months, he looked worried, but admits helplessness.

Classmates Janine Allen, 18, and Grace Ybañez, 18, both of barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, were also walking in the old bridge, “it’s better for us to walk than riding a PUJ or we might get delayed more,” Allen said.

Opposite them were workers who hurriedly walk to their respective workplaces in the Mactan Export Processing Zone./Correspondents Jucell Marie P. Cuyos and Norman V. Mendoza