THE Zamboanga City Administrator’s Office in coordination with the police traffic division is studying a loop plan, allowing public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and vans to drop or unload passengers in designated stop areas downtown without parking.
The plan came about following complaints by persons with disability (PWDs) and senior citizens against the present terminals of PUJs and vans, which are quite a long distance to walk to the central business district, making it inconvenient for them.
Some PWDs and senior citizens said they are forced to walk long distance despite their predicament in going to the city’s commercial center to include the public market.
The relocation of parking areas, which is on its second month of experimentation, is aimed to decongest traffic in the downtown area.
City Administrator Angelique Go said the loop plan is to allow the PUJs and vans to unload passengers downtown on a continuous process (circling downtown) then proceed to their respective terminals or loading sites, but their storage must be relocated outside the city proper.
Go said the objective of the plan is to minimize on-street parking and that vehicles will just make rounds and jeepney stops will be designated.
Go, however added, the matter has yet to be consulted with legit drivers’ associations to harmonize the plan wherein the storage areas will be outside the central business district. (Sunnex)