The City Traffic Management Office (CTMO) has released a list of roads that will be closed for the Ironman 70.3 Challenge on November 13.
Major roads that will be closed starting at 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. are Malvar Street from bay walk going to Caltex gasoline station and the national highway from Barangay Tiniguiban to the corner of Napsan Road in Brgy. Iwahig.
Portions of roads that connect to Malvar Street, PSU Road, and other roads surrounding the Ramon V. Mitra, Jr. Memorial Sports Complex will also be closed.
Allan Mabella of the CTMO, however, explained that the roads will not be closed during the entire duration of the race as they will allow traffic to pass whenever there are no participants.
He said they expect a gap of around one hour before the participants pass again. That would be enough time for motorists to pass through sections of Malvar Street.
“Yung mga kalsada, hindi naman yun sabay-sabay na isasara from 4am to 4pm. Once na lumampas na yung mga participants, halimbawa dyan sa Malvar Street, pwede nating pansamantalang buksan yan kasi ibang kalsada na naman yung kanilang gagamitin sa next stage ng competition,” Mabella said.
“So ganun lang yung magiging sistema natin, pag nakalampas na sila, temporarily bubuksan natin ito ng estimated na isang oras,” he added.
He said the roads will be cleared starting at 4 a.m. even before the race starts because they need to prepare the routes for the race.
He also noted that they expect the bike race leg of the triathlon event to be finished by 12:30 at noon, from which point they can start opening the road to slowly allow traffic back. Entry of vehicles will still be limited though, up to Brgy. Irawan, where a detour will also be used going to the north national highway.
“Magre-rerouting na agad kasi bago pa man magsimula, kailangan clear lahat, naka-set lahat ng dadaanan at wala talagang makikitang sasakyan. Yung temporary na pagpapalusot natin ng mga sasakyan ay mangyayari na lang in between kung sakaling hindi na ginagamit ng participants yung kalsada,” he said.
Mabella also stated that they have already talked with transport groups regarding the road closure, especially shuttle vans and buses coming from the southern part of Palawan.
“Nakapag-conduct na rin tayo ng orientation briefing sa mga associations ng tricycles at multicabs, at mga shuttle vans, at mga bus sa southern municipalities na maaapektuhan. Na-explain na rin naming sa kanila yung mga magiging oras at ruta na pwede nilang daanan pag nag-start na yung Ironman. Ang tanging bukas lamang na kalsada ay yung north highway—dyan natin padadaanin ang lahat ng sasakyan from south,” he said.
“Doon sa kanto ng Napsan road going to Montible, doon tayo magsasara. Just in case may byahe na hindi pwedeng ma-delay, pwede nating i-reroute doon sa Napsan-Simpocan road at lalabas sa Bacungan,” he added.