BAGUIO CITY – The city’s Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) approved the implementation of an experimental traffic along Mabini St., Assumption road and Session road to help reduce the monstrous traffic congestions along the major streets in the city.
Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, who chaired the TTMC meeting Friday, said it was agreed that the traffic flow along Upper and Lower Mabini St. will be reversed from the downward flow to an upward flow while Assumption |road will be used as an exit route from the previous entry route.
Further, the pedestrian lane along Middle Session road will be widened, particularly in front of Mountain Studio, while the pedestrian lane fronting the Mercury Drug and the former Pines Theater will be permanently closed.
“We have to find ways on how to prevent pedestrians and motorists from being exposed to accidents that could pose a serious threat to life and limb. We are implementing the experimental traffic scheme even for a short period of time to ascertain its feasibility and practicality, ” Domogan stressed.
It will be recalled that the city closed the pedestrian lane fronting the Mercury Drug and Pines Theater previously because pedestrians are exposed to extreme danger from vehicles coming from upper and lower Session road considering their speed coming from traffic lights.
However, the public, particularly the senior citizens, clamoured for the re-opening of the said pedestrian lane due to their difficulty in walking up to middle Session road just to go to the other side of Session road.
The TTMC agreed to re-open the pedestrian lane until such time that the pedestrian lane along middle Session road will be widened in front of Mountain Studio to lessen the length of the road that will be traversed by the pedestrian before being able to go to the other side of Session road.
The TTMC tasked the Department of Public works and Highways–Baguio City District Engineering Office (BCDEO), the City Engineering Office and the Baguio City Police Office–Traffic Management Branch (BCPO-TMB) to closely work together for the implementation of the experimental traffic scheme and the widening of the Middle Session road pedestrian lane for the convenience of both the motorists and pedestrians.
Domogan appealed to the public to cooperate with the new experimental traffic scheme to be implemented along some roads in the central business district to determine the best option possible that will help ease the monstrous traffic congestions in the area.
He explained the local government and concerned government agencies are doing their best to find the appropriate solutions to the worsening traffic jams in the central business district to provide motorists and pedestrians convenient and stress-free travel around the city, especially when there will be a huge influx of local and foreign tourists wanting to enjoy their well-deserved vacation in the country’s undisputed Summer Capital.
By Dexter A. See
