BAGUIO CITY – A local traffic expert outlined three simple ways to be put Up practice by decision and policy makers and the commuting and motoring public in order for the people to effectively and efficiently contribute in easing recurrent and non-recurrent traffic jams around the city.
Engr. Mark de Guzman, a civil engineering professor of the St. Louis University (SLU) and a consultant of the city’s Transportation and Traffic Management Committee (TTMC), pointed out discipline, removal of obstructions on loading and unloading areas and substantial increase in the penalties of traffic violations are the simple ways which have been pinpointed as the solutions to the worsening traffic congestions around the city, especially during rush hours from 6 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 7 pm daily.
He explained the major causes of traffic congestions along the city’s main roads include behavioural among motorists and pedestrians, obstructions on the narrow streets aggravated by the increasing volume of vehicles and the minimal fines imposed on traffic violations coupled with the lenient enforcement of existing traffic laws, rules and regulations among others.
De Guzman spoke before members of the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association, Inc. (CREBA) Baguio-Benguet Chapter during their regular monthly business meeting Thursday at the Rose Bowl Restaurant.
“The ultimate solution to the city’s worsening traffic problems is for the public to comply with existing traffic rules and regulations and for law enforcers to strictly implement traffic laws without fear or favour,” de Guzman stressed.
Aside from what are being implemented as interventions to ease the traffic woes, especially within the city’s central business district area, de Guzman cited the need to implement no parking along the stretch of Harrison road similar to what is being done along Session road during rush hours in order to allow vehicles to smoothly flow along the main roads.
Further, he suggested no parking must also enforced at least 150 meters from intersections to allow vehicles to freely maneuver, thus, the need for the put up of a multi-level parking facility at the former site of the Jadewell parking area and not necessarily within the Melvin Jones area to accommodate vehicles parked along streets.
For motor vehicles, de Guzman cited motorists must avoid frequent changing of lanes while traversing along major roads as they must be able to ascertain the directions where they are supposed to go in order for them to stick to their lanex apart from observing the same speed in order for them not to contribute in the congestions at the intersections.
He revealed the identified traffic congestion areas include the junction of Harrison Road with Magsaysay Avenue, Abanao St. and Chanum St. as well as that of the Magsaysay Avenue and Bonifacio St., particularly fronting the Baguio Center Mall.
According to him, the traffic along the rotunda of Gov. Pack road near the Baguio City National High School and the University of the Cordilleras has been described to be good despite the abaence of law enforcers and traffic signals manning the traffic in the area considering the luxury of space along the route.
De Guzman appealed to both the commuting and motoring public for their utmost cooperation to the traffic rules and regulations by having the discipline to do so and have their contributions counted in easing the traffic congestions, especially within the central business district area in order to sustain the desired economic growth of the city in the future.
The SLU professor said the TTMC is seriously considering numerous proposals to contribute in reducing the worsening traffic congestions in the different parts of the city to provide convenient travel among motorists, especially tourists frequenting the city daily.
By Dexter A. See
