ILOILO City – Motorists traversing the Ungka flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo are likely to face traffic congestion as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 initiates a new traffic scheme starting this week.
The implementation of two-way traffic using the left side of the flyover (going to Pavia from Iloilo City) coincides with the commencement of superstructure rectifications by contractor International Builders Corporation (IBC) as part of Phase 2 of the defective flyover’s rectification with a budget of P200 million.
Currently, motorists utilize two inner lanes of the flyover — one lane into the city and one lane towards Pavia. However, starting this week, motorists will only occupy the two lanes on the left (if heading to Pavia direction) while the two lanes on the right will be closed to traffic.
“We are planning to close the two lanes on the right lane of the Ungka flyover from Iloilo City going to Pavia. Traffic will be directed to the left lanes, allowing simultaneous flow in both directions,” said DPWH-6 regional director Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel during a press briefing on Saturday, October 19.
Despite the changes, DPWH-6 will maintain window times for the flyover to be open from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
“We are trying our best to open this by December 25. After we open this into full capacity for traffic, there should no longer be congestion issues. So, please give us your understanding and cooperation concerning traffic management,” Oropel urged motorists.
Once the two-way traffic is in effect, vehicles will be expected to queue at both approaches to the flyover due to the four lanes merging into the left side, returning to their original positions once they descend to the national road.
During the press briefing, retired Police Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos of the Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU) and retired Police Major Dante Dumaguing from the Pavia Traffic Management Office discussed the traffic measures to prevent congestion and ensure smooth flow.
Garbanzos raised various challenges and suggestions, including placing numerous traffic cones to separate directions, deploying traffic aides on the flyover, installing additional lights, adding railings at the approaches, and creating temporary loading, unloading areas, and pedestrian lanes further from the flyover approaches.
He also urged DPWH-6 to massively disseminate information through social media to alert the public about the new traffic scheme.
Oropel confirmed that all suggestions by Garbanzos were positively received and assured that they would be implemented in collaboration with the contractor. The only request from the two traffic bureaus was assistance in managing traffic by adding more traffic aides on the flyover, both below and above.
Oropel mentioned that he, along with representatives from ICTMU and the Pavia Traffic Management Office, would visit the flyover earlier this week, possibly on Monday, October 21, to finalize traffic measures before implementing the new scheme.
The rectification will involve removing all asphalt overlay from piers 4, 5, and 6, installing geofoam, and applying a 150 millimeters load distribution slab followed by an asphalt overlay. Oropel ensured that the geofoam would adequately support the weight capacity of vehicles passing over the flyover and lighten the load on the superstructure./PN
