Kennon Road has been reopened to two-way traffic on Dec. 24 upon the approval of the Metro Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) Council.
The reopening was subject to the conditions that only light vehicles (both public and private) weighing 10 tons and below will be allowed, the maximum speed limit will be 40 kilometer per hour, and that no parking will be allowed along the stretch.
Public vehicles will include UV Express vehicles plying the Baguio-Rosario route only. Other UV Express vehicles are advised to take alternate routes.
Since travel resumed, traffic personnel have been manning the road 24/7 to direct traffic and monitor the traffic situation also as part of the conditions.
In an advisory, the council which is chaired by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and composed of Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas, BLISTT mayors and representatives of line agencies said the decision was reached in a meeting last Dec. 21, after discussing the post-inspection report of the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Kennon on the viability of reopening the route subject to road safety measures.
Following the deactivation of the task force pursuant to a resolution, the MBLISTT Council took over the responsibilities relating to the management of Kennon Road on its capacity as the governing board and policy-making body of the soon to be established MBLISTT Development Authority.
Among the mandates of the MBLISTTDA is the management of traffic and transport within the BLISTT.
The MBLISTT Council along with the City Peace and Order Council had pressed for Kennon Road’s reopening to help ease the traffic problem with the influx of vacationers for the holidays.
Road safety measures were requested which include the fast-tracking of road repair and rehabilitation activities, clearing of obstructions, debris and illegally parked vehicles, and installation of signage and other early warning devices. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
