Cainta launches 'friendship gates project' to ease traffic woes

The local government of Cainta, Rizal has installed interconnected gates in gated villages to help ease the town's traffic problems.

"We need to cut down on the number of vehicles on our major highways. I thought of ways to ease the daily routine of those living in the villages," said Mayor Keith Nieto .

"I thought about putting interconnected gates in the gated villages along Marcos Highway, Felix Avenue, and Ortigas Avenue. If vehicles pass through the inside roads, it would reduce the number of cars on the main highways, and drivers could reach their destinations much faster," the mayor added.

Nieto started in his own neighborhood, built a street between Filinvest and Vista Verde, and made it a border gate.

"After this, I called on the HOA [homeowners association] officials of Vista Verde. You've felt the convenience of having this opened—now let's step it up. Let's put up a gate that will connect Vista Verde to Green Park," Nieto said.

"And so it happened—now, coming from Filinvest, you can exit through Sta. Lucia Mall without even setting foot on Marcos Highway or Felix Avenue. If you have a child studying at Assumption and you live in Vista Verde, you no longer need to exit via Felix Avenue. Just pass through the border gate between Vista Verde and Filinvest, and you will come out directly onto Marcos Highway heading toward Sumulong," the mayor added.

After this, Nieto called in Village East and instructed them to install a gate connecting Vista Verde to Village East.

"And now it's possible—coming from Village East, you can get to SM Masinag without passing through Felix Avenue. You enter through Vista, go straight through Filinvest, and come out onto Marcos Highway," Nieto said.

On Saturday morning, Nieto had the interconnecting gate between Country Homes and Park Place opened leading out to Brookside.

"Now you can get to SM Hypermarket Felix Avenue without crossing Junction. Of course, the villages need to be protected too. Those who will use the roads should invest in the village stickers of the subdivisions they will pass through for security and control. That's only right so it's fair for everyone," Nieto said.

"Countless residents and motorists have already benefited from the friendship gates project. I will expand this," the mayor added.