Tuesday, November 11, 2008 BRT proponent says instead of bigger roads, cities should have bigger sidewalks By Rene H. Martel Sun.Star Staff Reporter
TRAFFIC jam is an indication that a road is ripe for public transport.”
And traffic managers are pushing for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which former Bogota, Colombia mayor Enrique Peñalosa said entails bigger spaces for sidewalks, bicycle lanes, few if no cars at all, and no jeepneys.
Speaking before officials from at least four Metro Cebu cities and business groups last night, Peñalosa, considered one of the leading figures of the system, said a city has the option of either being friendly to people or to cars but not both.
He said that instead of bigger roads for cars, a city should have bigger sidewalks and protected bicycle ways that will be safe for a child on a bicycle.
Bus system
For transport, he offers the BRT, which works like the train system but uses buses instead of train coaches and bus lanes instead of train tracks.
The buses are stairless and passengers pay at the specially-designed bus stations in the middle of the road and accessible through pedestrian lanes or overhead walkways.
Unit providers are paid per kilometer traveled, with the amount agreed between them and the government, so that it does not matter to the drivers whether they have passengers or not for every trip.
“Bigger roads never solve traffic jams. In the best cities of the world, people use public transport. The people are taking back their cities from cars,” he said.
“It’s a political decision… (but) road space should be assigned fully to public transport. If there is something left, the cars can use it. Because what is important is the
people,” he added.
Peñalosa is in Cebu on the invitation of the Cebu City Government to speak about the BRT. He successfully implemented it in Bogota when he was mayor from 1998 to 2001.
Receptive
Officials of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay who were present during the talk said they were receptive to the system.
They were, however, cautious over various concerns that must be addressed, including the need for more space and providing alternative livelihood to displaced drivers.
Talisay City Vice Mayor Lani Abarquez said the BRT “is a promising alternative” but issues such as livelihood for displaced drivers and road right-of-way should be addressed.
Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said both the BRT and the Light Railway Transit are solutions to traffic woes. Fortuna, however, said the BRT is more cost effective.
Peñalosa said “good public transport is low cost and high frequency.”
Lapu-Lapu City Teodulo Ybañez, on the other hand, said they like the BRT for being less expensive and causing less pollution.
But Lapu-Lapu Planning and Development Officer Perla Amar said they would have a lot of convincing to do for the residents to adopt it.
Study
The Department of Transportation and Communication, through a P15 million grant, will start next month a Metro Cebu-wide feasibility study on the BRT.
The Cebu City Government wants it implemented in the Banilad-Talamban corridor, where traffic congestion has gotten worse through the years.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña already suggested the ban on private vehicles during rush hours, especially after a study by the City Planning and Development Office showed that 80 percent of those who travel to the Banilad area ride public utility vehicles (PUVs).
The City also found that PUVs represent only 15 percent of the traffic, while the remaining 85 percent are private vehicles.
Peñalosa said that in Bogota, private vehicles are banned for three hours during the peak of traffic, which is in the morning and in the afternoon.
But he warned that “if cars have to be restricted, we must have a very good public transport,” which is what he did with the Transmilenio BRT units in Bogota.
He said a city must address the traffic problem by focusing on its people.
“We have to talk about equality. Sidewalks are the most important element of a democratic city’s structure… Public space is important because people meet as equals.
The least a democratic country can offer to the least of the least of its people is to have a place to walk around,” he said. (RHM)
