you report about the traffic jam but not about the cause of the marathon which was organized by the UN??????? in what world do we live??? do you even know the reason behind that running along a single road just along Commonwealth??? those people stood against poverty!!!! eh kung yung mga atat magshopping sa megamall dahil sale ay pumunta nalang sa marathon which by the way i joined pero the one in makati, eh di sana nakatulong pa sila. anong klase ba naman yan? sa ibang bansa nga hnd lang isang kalsada sarado tas dito big deal eh tayo nga tutulungan ng event na to kasi mahirap lang tayo. mga pilipino feeling kasi, ayan! nakakagigil. nakakawalan ng pag-asa. sus, tas boto mo ipatrol mo. pweh. walang kwenta lang talaga. ano ginagawa ng media?? ashoo, puro showbiz. game. saya!
Submitted by reisa92 on Sun, 10/18/2009 - 22:28.(UPDATE) Marathon causes traffic jam in QC
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/18/2009 11:51 AM
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MANILA – Motorists and commuters who were expecting an easy Sunday morning ride in Quezon City were instead faced with bumper-to-bumper traffic due to the closure of the area around Quezon Memorial Circle.
The area was closed since 12 a.m. to give way to the 1st Quezon City International Marathon (QCIM).
The marathon, which has 42-kilometer, 21K, 10K and 5K races, kicked off at 5 a.m. Sunday morning and ended at about 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., said Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte.
“It was successful from every indication,” Belmonte said of the inaugural QCIM in an interview on ANC’s “Dateline Philippines Sunday.”
When asked about the traffic jam, he replied: “Well I don’t know about that. We have been planning it for some time and police and traffic people were in charge of traffic. After all it was a single road just along Commonwealth.”
The Quezon City mayor said the roads have been reopened since 9 a.m.
He then gave this advice to affected motorists and commuters: “Read the newspapers and listen to the radio so you’ll be informed of events like this. This has been planned since last year.”
Traffic advisory
An advisory posted along East Avenue corner Matalino Street said the area would be closed from 12 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday.
All road access from Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) to the Quezon Memorial Circle (Elliptical Road) has been restricted, according to the Runnex Executive Runners Club, Inc.’s Web site.
North Avenue was entirely closed to traffic, while Commonwealth Avenue was closed in both directions from Tandang Sora to the Quezon Memorial Circle.
Access to Kalayaan Avenue, East Avenue, Quezon Avenue and Visayas Avenue would only be allowed for QCIM participants.
Rerouting
There was a rerouting scheme that advised motorists coming from EDSA going to Fairview to take Congressional Avenue, Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora then straight to Commonwealth Avenue.
Those coming from Fairview, meantime, were asked to take a right at the Iglesia ni Cristo Central Temple, then take Visayas Avenue going to Project 6, Mindanao Avenue, and make a U-turn to reach SM North EDSA.
A radio dzMM report said many were surprised with the traffic scheme on Sunday because they did not expect that the Quezon Memorial Circle area would be closed from 12 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Meantime, the closed area was reportedly made into a parking lot by some marathon participants who left their vehicles there.
Late for exams
Despite having a rerouting scheme, roads in Quezon City were clogged. This prompted some commuters to alight from public transport vehicles and just walk no matter how far the distance.
Several affected motorists and commuters even complained to ABS-CBN News and radio dzMM.
A certain Cely called ABS-CBN News desk to say that the whole stretch of Commonwealth Avenue was closed and vehicles along Panay Avenue were not moving. The caller’s niece was supposed to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) board exams at 8 a.m.
While there have been advisories on Sunday’s event, some affected motorists and commuters lamented that they were unaware of the rerouting scheme.
Some of the text messages sent to dzMM said students who were set to take the De La Salle University-Manila Entrance Exam were stuck in traffic .
Even dzMM anchors Julius Babao and Tintin Bersola-Babao were caught in traffic. Julius said it was “super traffic” before 6 a.m.
“'Yong mga motorista hindi na gumagalaw diyan sa may patungong Visayas Avenue from Commonwealth,” recounted Julius. – abs-cbnNEWS.com. With a report from Jon Ibañez, radio dzMM
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