The former traffic consultant of the city government scored anew the modification of the term used to describe the fees that will be collected from motorists if the city government’s Smart Urban Mobility Program (SUMP) were approved.
Engineer Teodorico “Mr. Trapiko” Tan said no matter what term the proponent chooses to use, collection of fees for use of public roads is still the end goal.
The city government conducted on March 20, at the Baguio Convention Center, another round of consultation concerning issues surrounding the SUMP.
Tan appealed to the public to ask the proponent or concerned city officials to submit a Traffic Impact Assessment. He said a TIA is a necessary reference in determining traffic movement.
He also asked those who will attend the consultation to ask the proponent to fully disclose their proposal.
In accordance with the Public-Private Partnership Law, Tan said the proponent cannot invoke confidentiality as reason why the proposal cannot be made public.
Tan also suggested that with the snowballing opposition against the congestion fee, the city government should abandon the proposition and for city traffic planners to explore other traffic reduction options.
