With the river boulevard set to be inaugurated soon, it opens up a possible bottleneck at the junction of Puntod-Kauswagan Bridge if the boulevard will be opened to vehicular traffic. More than a decade ago, there was a proposal to build a rotunda at the said junction but years have passed, no roundabout was built. Motorists have now started to experience traffic at the said area following the recent opening of 2-way traffic along the San Lazaro section of the Coastal Road.
As shown below, there are now five roads converging to the area with the river boulevard as the 5th. There are no functioning traffic lights yet at the site.
It would be an injustice if the boulevard, perhaps the most beautiful and carefully planned road in the city to date will be connected to a chaotic intersection.
Trucks and other heavy vehicles are said to be redirected to the Bonbon-Macabalan Bridge but with the said bridge project is still far from completion so large and long hauling trucks will still clog the lanes leading to the junction. Further, the junction is slightly elevated where roads ascending to the junction.
During the time of DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, it was recommended that a rotunda be built at the intersection to avoid the need for traffic lights.
There were different plans at the said intersection but the rotunda is still perhaps the best option.
But after the opening of the Puntod-Kauswagan Bridge, no rotunda was built. Traffic planners should be pro-active and not reactive.
