3 ways to ease City traffic woes

by Dexter See March 12, 2015

BAGUIO CITY A local traffic expert outlined three simple ways to be put into practice by decision
and policy makers and the commuting and motoring public in order for the people to effectively
and efficiently contribute in easing recurrent and non-recurrent traffic jams around the city.
Engr. Mark de Guzman, a civil engineering professor of the St. Louis University (SLU) and a
consultant of the citys Transportation and Traffic Management Committee (TTMC), pointed out
discipline, removal of obstructions on loading and unloading areas and substantial increase in the
penalties of traffic violations are the simple ways which have been pinpointed as the solutions to
the worsening traffic congestions around the city, especially during rush hours from 6 am to 9
am and 4 pm to 7 pm daily.
He explained the major causes of traffic congestions along the citys main roads include
behavioral problems among motorists and pedestrians, obstructions in the narrow streets
aggravated by the increasing volume of vehicles and the minimal fines imposed on traffic
violations coupled with the lenient enforcement of existing traffic laws, rules and regulations
among others.
De Guzman spoke before members of the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association, Inc.
(CREBA) Baguio-Benguet Chapter during their regular monthly business meeting Thursday at the
Rose Bowl Restaurant.
The ultimate solution to the citys worsening traffic problems is for the public to comply with
existing traffic rules and regulations and for law enforcers to strictly implement traffic laws
without fear or favor, de Guzman stressed.
Aside from what are being implemented as interventions to ease the traffic woes, especially
within the citys central business district area, de Guzman cited the need to implement no
parking along the stretch of Harrison road similar to what is being done along Session road
during rush hours in order to allow vehicles to smoothly flow along the main roads.
Further, he suggested no parking must also enforced at least 150 meters from intersections to
allow vehicles to freely maneuver, thus, the need for the put up of a multi-level parking facility at
the former site of the Jadewell parking area and not necessarily within the Melvin Jones area to
accommodate vehicles parked along streets.
For motor vehicles, de Guzman cited motorists must avoid frequent changing of lanes while
traversing along major roads as they must be able to ascertain the directions where they are
supposed to go in order for them to stick to their lanes apart from observing the same speed in
order for them not to contribute in the congestions at the intersections.
He revealed the identified traffic congestion areas include the junction of Harrison Road with
Magsaysay Avenue, Abanao St. and Chanum St. as well as that of the Magsaysay Avenue and
Bonifacio St., particularly fronting the Baguio Center Mall.
According to him, the traffic along the rotunda of Gov. Pack road near the Baguio City National
High School and the University of the Cordilleras has been described to be good despite the
absence of law enforcers and traffic signals manning the traffic in the area considering the luxury
of space along the route.
De Guzman appealed to both the commuting and motoring public for their utmost cooperation to
the traffic rules and regulations by having the discipline to do so and have their contributions
counted in easing the traffic congestions, especially within the central business district area in
order to sustain the desired economic growth of the city in the future.

The SLU professor said the TTMC is seriously considering numerous proposals to contribute in
reducing the worsening traffic congestions in the different parts of the city to provide convenient
travel among motorists, especially tourists frequenting the city daily.
http://baguioheraldexpress.com/news/city/3-ways-to-ease-city-traffic-woes

A study of the California Department of Transportation which I chanced to read a few weeks ago
stated that the solution to the increasing traffic congestion in many of their major cities is not to
widen the roads to accommodate more vehicles, but to limit the number of vehicles themselves.
Baguios traffic and transport problems
VERY GLAD FOR YOU by Gladys Vergara January 10, 2016

http://baguioheraldexpress.com/opinion/very-glad-for-you/baguios-traffic-and-transport-problems