BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia is planning to reactivate the Traffic Council to help the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) to address the traffic problem in the city.
Leonardia said the Traffic Council will be represented by various sectors like the business group, education, and professional group among others.
He said this Christmas season it’s expected that the public will experience the inevitable heavy traffic in various areas.
“This is a national problem and it’s not only happening here. I was informed that for now, Bacolod has more than 100,000 car registrations. Increasing number of vehicles causes traffic congestions,” he added.
The mayor said the Traffic Council will help assess and evaluate the situation and come up policies to guide the authorities.
Leonardia already tasked Executive Assistant George Zulueta to finalize the implementation of the traffic master plan in the city.
He said they already have the recommendations of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to address the traffic situation in Bacolod and they will implement it step-by-step.
“We will see what can be implemented because we cannot implement it immediately,” he added.
In December 2018, the MMDA conducted a 12-day study in Bacolod City for free.
The MMDA performs planning, monitoring, and coordinative functions, and in the process exercises regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metro-wide services within Metro Manila.
A traffic master plan could cost millions if done by private groups, but MMDA is assisting Bacolod City for free.
In June, MMDA released its initial recommendations to BTAO for the hiring of additional traffic enforcers, re-routing of some public utility vehicles, installation of more traffic lights and pedestrian lights, construction of Center Island along Barangay Pahanocoy Highway, and amending the traffic ordinances on the implementation of penalties like the anti-jaywalking ordinance.
Of the 212 intersections in Bacolod, he added that about 30 intersections were recommended by the MMDA for the installation of traffic and pedestrian lights./MAP