Friday, August 31, 2007 Planning officers blame narrow roads, funeral processions, lack of political will
ALMOST as many cars run in Metro Cebu as in Manila, but Cebuano authorities are not improving the major roads, said Cebu City Planning and Development Officer Paul Villarete.
Speaking at the Seminar Workshop on Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) for Cebu City, Villarete said this is also why the City Government is putting a 4-story limit to building constructions in the Talamban area.
“If we allow 50-story buildings, imagine how the traffic problem would worsen in that barangay,” Villarete said.
In Cebu City, public utility jeepneys (PUJs) now total 8,329 units; taxis, 5,788 units; and buses and mini-buses, 952 units.
The city’s road network includes 205 city roads maintained by the City Government and 68 national roads maintained by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Among the problems raised in the forum were: too many jeepneys and other vehicles amid the lack of new infrastructure improvements in the city; uncontrolled and unlimited issuance of franchise for public utility vehicles; undisciplined drivers and pedestrians; and rampant use of motorcycles as public transport.
Villarete said he has always proposed a high-occupancy bus system, which could probably be realized in two to five years. “Transport is very important. We understand what’s happening now,” Villarete said.
He pointed out that 15 years ago, there was only one main artery, the Cebu South Road. There was no such thing as a north and south corridor.
“At present, the South Coastal Road is now the main artery, which is the existing corridor. A mass transport system is being proposed because you cannot get away from the main traffic,” Villarete said.
The Land Transportation Office website lists a total of 5.3 million registered vehicles nationwide. Of these, 457,816 are in Central Visayas, while 1.5 million are in the National Capital Region. No breakdown was provided by city.
Dexter Fortuna of the Mandaue City Planning Office said the problems in their locality are narrow streets, narrow road openings and flooding.
These problems are compounded by funeral processions, practice sessions of drum and bugle corps, and the lack of discipline among drivers.
Talisay City Planning and Development Officer Christine Homez said their perennial traffic problems are in Barangays Tabunok and Bulacao.
Homez added that they are planning to open special routes for tricycles to prevent them from plying or crossing major thoroughfares. (EOB)
