The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) expects to see only minimal queuing of trucks getting in and out of Manila ports during the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, Monday.
The City of Manila will be closing off roads and rerouting traffic to make way for the holding of the yearly religious procession which is expected to attract 15 million to 18 million devotees.
CTAP vice president for external affairs Pepito Dino told PortCalls that the yearly festivity is not expected to generate too much queuing, noting that Mondays and Tuesdays usually see only small truck transactions.
The Philippine Ports Authority agreed that the whole of Monday and Tuesday morning are historically slow days for the ports, adding that the rerouting of traffic will have minimal effect on port movements.
According to the Manila District Traffic Enforcement Unit (MDTEU), as early as 9 p.m. of January 8, the following roads will be closed off to traffic: Katigbak Drive and South Drive (with one lane accessible to Manila and H2O Hotel); northbound lane of Quezon and McArthur Bridge from Bonifacio Shrine onwards; and Taft Avenue from Ayala Boulevard to Bonifacio Shrine.
By 12 midnight of January 9, the feast day itself, these roads will be closed: stretch of McArthur, Jones and Quezon Bridge; Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to T.M. Kalaw Street; and both lanes of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from A. Mendoza/Fugoso Street and España Avenue/P. Campa Street for southbound, and from Taft Avenue/Ayala Boulevard for northbound.
MDTEU noted that some streets may also be cordoned off as the procession approaches but will be immediately opened once its tail end passes.
As an alternative route once traffic is rerouted at 9 p.m. on January 8, trucks and other heavy vehicles intending to use Bonifacio Drive southbound should turn around Anda Circle, then go back to the northbound lane of Road 10 to C3 to their destination.
For light vehicles intending to use Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound, they should turn around Anda Circle going to A. Soriano Avenue, turn right to Gen. Luna Street to Burgos-Orosa Street, then turn left to T.M. Kalaw Street to Taft Avenue and then to their destination.
For vehicles coming from southern Manila and intending to pass the northbound lane of Roxas Boulevard from T.M. Kalaw Street to P. Burgos Street, they should turn right to T.M. Kalaw Street, left to Orosa Street going to Intramuros, left to A. Soriano Avenue to their destination. Vehicles traveling along P. Burgos Street should turn right to Finance Road to Ayala Avenue to destination, and vehicles using Taft Avenue northbound should turn right to Ayala Boulevard to destination.
Starting 12 midnight of January 9, cargo trucks and heavy vehicles should take President Osmeña to President Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan Avenue via A.H. Lacson Avenue to Capulong Street (and vice versa).
Vehicles coming from Quezon City traversing España Avenue should turn right to P. Campa Street, then turn left to A. Mendoza Street, then turn right to Fugoso Street, turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue or left to Nicanor Reyes Street, then turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue to their destination.
Vehicles coming from Legarda Street should turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue or turn left to Mendiola Street to their destination, while vehicles coming from Caloocan City passing Rizal Avenue should turn right to Fugoso Street or C.M. Recto Avenue then to destination.
All buses using Taft Avenue northbound should turn right to Ayala Avenue going to their destination.
Vehicles coming from Reina Regente Street using southbound lane, meanwhile, must turn right to San Fernando Street or make a U-turn at Plaza Ruiz on their way to their destination.
Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
