THE one way traffic scheme implemented in most road circuits of the business district may have eased congestion in some areas but it failed to address the bottleneck in others.

The scheme, which is still under an “experimental” period, also failed to address issues on air pollution, added fuel cost, the plight of the handicap and the overlapping of routes of jeepneys traversed by those belonging to the green trunkline and those in the blue trunkline or the Aurora Hill and Trancoville jeepneys, lamented affected sectors who appeared in a public hearing Wednesday.

The mayor’s office has recommended for the scheme to become permanent after seeing the scheme reportedly helped ease congestion at Gov. Pack Road and Upper Session Road.

Sun.Star accepts donations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy

University of the Philippines-Baguio chancellor Priscilla Macansantos said the scheme should not be made permanent until there is a scientific basis to support the claim of the Traffic and Transportation and Management Committee (TTMC).

She volunteered to ask experts from the University of the Philippines to conduct a study and come up with recommendations on how to address the issues they raised.

The one-way scheme was implemented May last year. The route now taken by those in the blue (Aurora Hill and Trancoville) and the green (PNR Compound, Military Cut Off, Campo Sioco, Scout Barrio) trunklines is to pass through Harrison Road, through Gov. Pack Road, turn right and then head up to UP-Baguio drive, passing through the GSIS pine stand, Court of Appeals building, going down to North Drive or turn right to Loakan Road for south bound vehicles.

Green trunkline counsel James Valeros said jeepney drivers are not opposed to the one way scheme per se but the Transportation and Traffic Management Committee (TTMC) and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) should also look into the plight of his affected clients.

Valeros said the TTMC technically granted a loop service franchise to those traversing the Aurora Hill and Trancoville routes.

In the process, PNR drivers and other jeepney lines traversing the same route have been deprived of income because Aurora Hill and Trancoville are taking passengers who are supposed to be serviced by those in the green trunkline.

Valeros said the City Government practically violated an LTFRB memorandum circular prescribing a color coding scheme for routes to be followed. And instead of a vice versa route, the two jeepney two associations were granted a “loop service” route.

Valeros added the “experiment” has become permanent as it continues to be implemented for more than one year now.

The Public Transport Affairs Office (PTAO) also recommended further study not only for the traffic scheme covering Harrison Road but also Marcos Highway.

PTAO chair Perfecto Itliong Jr. said clogging has to be addressed at North Drive, Cathedral Loop, Upper General Luna Road, the road fronting Narda’s and Ebai’s restaurant at Upper Session Road and there should be a widening at Sto. Tomas Road, along the Sta. Catalina church.

The mayor’s office, meanwhile, through Bong Baquirin assured it will address all concerns raised by affected groups.

He said part of the plans of the TTMC is to add infrastructure which would help address clogging. In the pipeline are plans of installing concrete barriers, construction of pedestrian walkways and multilevel parking in areas outside of the business district.

He said the TTMC would deliberate on the possibility of rerouting Aurora Hill and Trancoville jeepneys to instead passing through the green trunkline route, they will take a U-turn at the Veterans Park and back to Harrison Road.

Baquirin said the TTMC would also address the plight of the handicap as well as strictly implement the Clean Air Act, so as to reduce air pollution.

He said the TTMC will also look into how it could attend to complaints of noise pollution.