Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Osmeña: Cebu’s transportation options By Antonio V. Osmeña Estatements
TRANSPORTATION systems and options within and between urban areas are a major factor deter mining the spatial pattern, degree of sprawl and rate of economic growth of an urban area.
People in Metro Cebu’s urban areas move from one place to another through three major types of transportation. These are individual transit (private automobile, taxi, motorcycle, bicycle and walking); mass transit (bus); and para-transit (carpools, vanpools and jitneys).
Any successful urban transportation system requires a mix of individual, mass transit and para-transit methods designed for a particular urban area.
The introduction of the automobile in the early 1900s and particularly the lowering of the cost per vehicle through mass production have made it possible for many people now to have their own private cars.
By providing almost unlimited mobility, the automobiles and highways that followed have been a major factor in the urban sprawl that characterizes the highly decentralized cities of our country today.
Between 1945 and today, Metro Manila and nearby localities tried to reduce auto congestion by constructing thousand of miles of roads. However, this encouraged more people to buy automobiles and to travel, a development that caused more congestion and reduced travel speed.
In 1940s, the average speed of horse-drawn vehicles in Colon Street was 18.5 kilometers per hour. Today, crosstown traffic, in cars and trucks with the potential power of 200 to 300 horses (horse power), creeps at an average of 8.4 kilometers per hour.
Today, many working Filipinos use their cars to go to and from work every day. Some walk or bicycle while others take mass transit.
The danger for Cebu, and for the rest of the country, is that the number of cars would continue to increase. The only successful solution to the congestion of roads is to discourage automobile use.
Of course, automobiles provide owners privacy, security, and unparalled freedom to go where they want to go, when they want to go.
In spite of their advantages, cars and trucks have harmful effects on human lives and on air, water and natural resources.
But today, the economic upliftment of many urban workers has allowed them to own multi-cab vehicles or motorcycles, thus adding to road congestion.
The government must have the political will to use the Highway Fund for the development of a mass transit system. An efficient mass transit system would encourage people not to use their automobiles except for important occasions.
People going to and from work would prefer to use the mass transit system for economic reasons.
Local political coercive measures will definitely eliminate road congestion by: setting aside express lane for buses, bicycle, and carpools during peak traffic hours; charging higher road and bridge tolls during peak hours; taxing parking lots and eliminating some parking spaces; charging automobile commuters high taxes or fees; raising the price of gasoline significantly by adding higher national taxes; and prohibiting cars on some streets or even on all roads.
Cebu legislative bodies should impose these measures to successfully reduce road congestion.
Let us accept the fact that even if Mayor Tom will construct millions of miles of new roads, traffic congestion will never be solved unless the government controls the sale of automobiles.
