Due to the ongoing construction of a rainwater pumping station in the southern Inner Harbour district, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) implemented on Sunday a range of temporary traffic arrangements at some sections of Rua da Praia do Manduco, next to Rua do Almirante Sérgio, and Travessa da Prosperidade, causing gridlock there yesterday, on the first working day of the implementation of the traffic measures.
A joint statement by the DSAT and the Public Works Bureau (DSOP) on Friday described the rainwater pumping station and drainage works in the southern Inner Harbour area as a project of “great importance and urgency”, adding that during the implementation of the temporary traffic measures, vehicles entering from Rua da Praia do Manduco will not be able to continue towards Barra; instead, they have to pass through Travessa da Assunção towards Rua do Almirante Sérgio.
Friday’s statement said that in order to ensure the safety of drivers and riders as well as pedestrians, temporary traffic lights would be set up at the junction between Rua do Almirante Sérgio and Travessa da Assunção, as well as near the Maritime Training School, adding that at the same time Rua do Peixe Salgado, next to Rua do Almirante Sérgio, would also be closed to road traffic until mid-March.
The two bureaus said that the project, which was expected to be completed on June 24, was currently at its “peak”, hoping that both motorists and pedestrians will maintain patience, and mutual tolerance, as well as circulate in safe conditions.
As observed by the Post at about 9 a.m. yesterday, after the implementation of the traffic measures on the relevant section of Rua do Almirante Sérgio, the vehicular traffic in the direction of Barra towards Rua do Almirante Sérgio was rather smooth, with some sections of the road accommodating parallel traffic. However, in the direction of Rua do Almirante Sérgio towards Barra, due to the roadworks, the road available to vehicular traffic has been narrowed to accommodate only one-lane traffic, resulting in many vehicles having to wait to pass through the provisionally added U-turn there en route to Praça de Ponte e Horta.
According to what the Post saw, on the first working day of the implementation of the traffic control measures, a number of traffic police officers were deployed to the district to control traffic lights, remind motorists of the closure of particular road sections, and to divert vehicular traffic, aiming to ensure a smooth traffic flow in the area. Based on the Post’s observation, on the second day of the implementation of the measures, there were still some drivers and motorcycle riders unaware of the road closures and entered by mistake.
A rider told the Post that he set off half an hour earlier for work than normal yesterday so as to avoid arriving late because of the “unclear” traffic measures in the area.
In addition, according to Friday’s statement, the Almirante Sérgio/Praia do Manduco bus stop would be temporarily suspended from 10 a.m. on Sunday, so that members of the public can now only take the bus at a temporary stop set up next to San Fok Garden Building. Standing at the temporarily closed bus stop nearby, the Post saw that quite a lot of residents were not aware of the suspension of the bus stop, only realising it after arriving there. A male senior citizen unaware of the suspension even cursed the driver of a bus driving past for failing to stop there.
Regarding the temporary traffic adjustment, Cheong Sok Leng, a member of the government-appointed Traffic Consultative Council, urged the authorities yesterday, apart from deploying additional traffic police officers to divert the traffic flow, to conduct a comprehensive review of the traffic arrangements in the construction area and enhance motorists’ awareness of the closed sections of the roads, while also providing the public with schematic diagrams clearly showing the location of the temporary bus stop, and assigning additional officials to inform residents in the vicinity of the bus stop at Rua do Almirante Sérgio about the temporary bus arrangement.
Cheong, who heads the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations’ Social Affairs Committee, made the remarks in an interview with the Post via WeChat.
She appealed to motorists to choose other roads and avoid the Rua do Almirante Sérgio area as far as possible during peak hours to reduce traffic pressure there.
A traffic police officer reminds a car driver yesterday of the temporary vehicular traffic closure of Rua do Peixe Salgado.
This photo taken at about 9 a.m. yesterday shows the traffic condition at the sections of Rua da Praia do Manduco, next to Rua do Almirante Sérgio, where a rainwater pumping station is being built.
This photo taken yesterday shows the roadworks at Rua do Peixe Salgado. – Photos: Yuki Lei
This photo provided by the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations Social Affairs Committee Supervisor shows Cheong Sok Leng, a member of the government-appointed Traffic Consultative Council, posing yesterday in the Rua do Almirante Sérgio area, close to the construction of a future rainwater pumping station in the southern Inner Harbour district. The union is widely known as Kai Fong, its Cantonese name.
