Road closures, traffic rerouting for Traslacion 2018

Several roads will be temporarily closed starting Sunday afternoon to give way to the processions that make up the hugely popular annual Feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila next week.

Chief Inspector Alejandro Pelias of the Manila Police District's Traffic Enforcement Unit has bared the following road closures and rerouting plans as the image of the Black Nazarene is once again ferried amidst a sea of devotees from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church.

January 7, Sunday

Road closures starting 1:00 p.m. for the procession of the replicas of the Black Nazarene:

• Southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from A. Mendoza/Fugoso to Plaza Miranda
• Eastbound lane of C.M. Recto Avenue from Rizal Ave. to SH Loyola Street
• Westbound lane of España Boulevard from P. Campa to Lerma Street

Rerouting scheme:

• All vehicles coming from España Boulevard intending to go to Roxas Boulevard/South Pier Zone/Taft Avenue shall turn right to P. Campa, straight to Fugoso Street to destination
• All vehicles intending to take Quezon Boulevard coming from A. Mendoza Street shall turn right to Fugoso, left to Rizal Ave. to destination
• All vehicles using eastbound lane of C.M. Recto coming from Divisoria shall turn right to Rizal Avenue to destination
• All vehicles using S.H. Loyola Street, coming from Balic-Balic area going to Quiapo shall turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue to destination

January 8, Monday

Road closures starting 10 p.m.:

• Katigbak and South Drive (one lane accessible to Manila Hotel and H20 Hotel)
• Northbound lane of Quezon and MacArthur Bridge from Bonifacio Shrine onwards
• Taft Avenue from Ayala Boulevard to Bonifacio Shrine

Rerouting scheme:

• Light vehicles intending to use the stretch of Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound shall turn around to Anda Circle going to A. Soriano Avenue, turn right to Gen. Luna Street to Burgos-Orosa Street, then turn left to TM Kalaw Street to Taft Avenue to destination
• Trucks and other heavy vehicles intending to utilize the stretch of Bonifacio Drive southbound shall turn around Anda Circle going back to northbound lane of Road 10 to C3 to destination
• Vehicles coming from the southern part of Manila intending to take the northbound lane of Roxas Boulevard from TM Kalaw to P. Burgos Streets shall turn right to TM Kalaw Street, left to Orosa Street going to Intramuros, left to A. Soriano Avenue to destination
• Vehicles plying P. Burgos Street shall turn right to Finance Road to Ayala Avenue to destination
• Vehicles using Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right to Ayala Boulevard to destination

January 9, Tuesday

Road closures starting 12 m.n. for the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene set for 6 a.m.:

• Stretch of MacArthur, Jones, and Quezon Bridges
• Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to T.M. Kalaw Street
• Both lanes of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from A. Mendoza/Fugoso Street and España Avenue/P Campa for southbound and from Taft Avenue/Ayala Boulevard for northbound

Rerouting scheme:

• Vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of Espana Avenue shall turn right to P. Campa Street then turn left to A. Mendoza Street, then turn right to Fugoso Street., turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue or left to Nicanor Reyes Street, turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue to destination
• Vehicles coming from Legarda Street shall turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue or turn left to Mendiola Street to destination
• Vehicles coming from Caloocan City plying Rizal Avenue shall turn right to Fugoso Street or C.M. Recto Avenue to destination
• Heavy vehicles/cargo trucks shall take Pres. Osmeña to Pres. Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan Bridge via AH Lacson Avenue to Capulong Street (vice versa)
• All buses using Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right to Ayala Avenue to destination
• Vehicles coming from Reina Regente Street using southbound lane shall turn right to San Fernando St. or make a U-turn at Plaza Ruiz to destination
• Light vehicles intending to take the stretch of Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound shall turn around to Anda Circle going to Delpan or Moriones to destination

The traffic advisory noted that "the closure of some streets will be in effect as the procession approaches and will be opened immediately once the tail end of the procession passes."

The procession route for this year has been slightly changed — it will no longer pass through the Lagusnilad Bridge for safety concerns.

Last year's foot procession was participated in by around 1.4 million attendees and lasted more than 22 hours. Father Douglas Badong, a priest at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, or the Quiapo Church, who hopes for a shorter procession this year, said one to two million people may join the Catholic tradition on Tuesday. — MDM, GMA News