ILOILO City – To alleviate heavy traffic congestion this holiday season, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6, in collaboration with the local government units (LGUs) of Pavia and the Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU), extended the operating hours of the Ungka flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia Iloilo.
The decision followed a meeting yesterday morning, led by DPWH Region 6 officer-in-charge, Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel, with representatives from the LGU-Pavia and ICTMU.
The new operating hours for the flyover:
* from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
* from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Previously, the flyover operated from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The extension of the morning hours to 10 a.m. aims to prevent delays for travelers headed to the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo, Oropel told Panay News.
Regarding the afternoon extension to 9 p.m., Oropel noted the traffic buildup in the Ungka area from 2 p.m.
“We extended the opening time by one hour and open earlier by two hours because most of the malls in the vicinity close at 9 p.m.,” Oropel said.
Oropel also mentioned that the decision on the new window hours considered the scheduled flyover rectification works set to begin after Dec. 25.
He explained that these works would cause significant traffic disruptions, hence the limitations on the flyover’s operation hours.
With the extended hours, Oropel requested the LGU Pavia and ICTMU to deploy traffic auxiliaries under the flyover to prevent its use as a parking area by private vehicles.
This request follows an inspection and observation of the flyover’s situation on Monday, Dec. 18.
“There should be no parking under the flyover, especially by delivery trucks,” Oropel emphasized./PN
