EYED as an alternative solution to solve traffic congestion, transportation woes, and worsening air pollution in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet, the Regional Development Council is looking into an automated guide way transit (AGT) system.
Following the conduct of a pre feasibility study by the Department of Science and Technology conducted by the Transport and Traffic Planners, Inc. (TTPI), the RDC in the Cordillera region has spearheaded various initiatives needed to ensure the realization of the project after creating the RDC CAR Ad Hoc Committee for AGT System Project.
The AGT, a mass transport technology locally developed by the DOST through the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) is the agency’s answer to address the need for environmentally sustainable transport technologies which can ease air pollution and traffic congestion.
According to the TTPI study, the proposed AGT system will benefit commuter along the proposed 2.1 kilometer Baguio Central Business District (CBD) and the 5.4 KM Baguio- La Trinidad.
While the pre feasibility study was limited to Baguio City and La Trinidad, expansion is recommended to include Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay or the BLISTT area.
The RDC CAR Ad Hoc Committee will be tasked spearhead the Terms of Reference for the conduct of the full blown feasibility study, as well as look into possible funding sources for the conduct of this study.
Baguio and La Trinidad has earlier backed the conduct of the feasibility study while the BLISST Governing Council filed a resolution for the endorsement of the recommendation for funding of the BLISSTT AGT under the 2018 DOST budget.
The AGT project is eyed as an alternative to significantly enhance current public transportation and can also boost the country’s tourism.
The draft TOR for the feasibility study will include deploying and operating the AGT System developed by the DOST-MIRDC in BLISTT and a Value Engineering/Value Analysis (VE/VA) to identify the best possible implementation options/configurations for the project.
Field surveys including traffic volume and occupancy counts, travel time studies, public transit surveys, and interviews, detailed assessment of passenger demand, and environmental benefits will also be included in the draft TOR
The TOR will also include study on structural and geotechnical assessment for AGT track and station design, identification of stakeholder groups and potential impacts of the AGT system, institutional analysis to identify possible interfaces, and assessment of potential financial and economic benefits and costs.
Funding for the conduct of the feasibility study is estimated to cost P10 million. (Shai Singa–Claver/DOST)