Citom chief: Focus on ‘10 most critical areas’

Focus traffic enforcers in the “ten most critical areas” for traffic in Cebu City.

Remove obstructions from roads, like illegally parked vehicles.

Repair busted traffic lights of Cebu city’s 20-year-old traffic signal system.

These short-term solutions will be undertaken this year as the first part of a ten-year traffic plan, said Ruben Alemendras, newly appointed chairman of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) board.

He explained his plans during yesterday’s 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel where he was guest speaker.

He said he would first identify the ten most critical areas where traffic occurs and focus enforcers there.

“Traffic happens in specific areas and occasions in Cebu City,” Almendras said. “Enforcers should be more visible there.”

We are still validating the data that we have gathered in identifying those areas”he told Cebu Daily News.

He identified some of the areas as Mabolo, Banilad, and the South Super Highway near P. del Rosario Street.

Overall, Almendras described Cebu City´s traffic as much better than Manila since there is still a chance to control and lessen the traffic problem in Cebu City

Almendras said closed circuit TV cameras (CCTV) will eventually be installed in these critical areas, to be finalized next week, in order to monitor both traffic and crime incidents.

Almendras, a finance and investment expert, was named Citom chairman of the board by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama last month, replacing Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem. Almendras was a former chairman of the Metro Cebu Water District.

The second part of his plan involves removing road obstructions like illegally parked vehicles and heavy construction work.

¨They need to have proper loading and unloading areas in order not to cause too much traffic.” he said.

He said he also plans to designate 20 “stopping areas” not just for jeepneys but for all types of vehicles.

Another priority is to repair traffic lights in Cebu City because 60% of them are no longer sending signals to the centralized computer which coordinates the flashing of lights.

The SCATS system from Australia purchased by Cebu City is already 20 years old and no longer functioning well, he said.

Building flared intersections, like the one in Osmena Boulevard-P. Del Rosario, is an “intermediate solution” as well as more dialog and coordination with other Metro Cebu local governments like Mandaue city and Talisay City.

“We will meet and plan as our basis on how to control traffic within the three cities,” he said.

Asked about the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Almendras told CDN road widening is needed first because “It is very difficult to implement the BRT with all the same size of road. It will just result into congestion and more traffic.¨

However, he said the BRT is more appropriate for Cebu City than a Light Rail Transit (LRT) which would cost five times more and cause heavy traffic during the construction phase.

He said flyovers only lessen traffic “by 20 percent”.

¨A flyover is good but it only helps ease traffic temporarily,” he said.  /Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag