CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City Traffic Management System last month built a lane on each side of the road in barangay Basak for tricycles-for-hire in a bid to curb traffic in the area.
Despite the lanes, traffic still builds up in this barangay, partly because not all tricycle drivers utilize the lanes all the time.
Tricycles move in and out of the lanes, to mingle with four-wheeled vehicles in the middle of the road, because, for one, vehicles parked on the roadsides block their paths, and, for another, to avoid potholes.
CTMS chief Frank Brazil said the tricycle drivers' support and cooperation is crucial in solving the traffic problem.
Brazil said the tricycle lanes would allow the smooth flow of traffic.
He said his office has been deluged with complaints from commuters bound for Marigondon and neighboring barangays.
The volume of vehicles bound for Marigondon has increased because of the opening of the mall in Basak.
"Daghan na kaayo ang muanhi sa Basak kay naa naman ang usa ka dakong mall," a Basak official said.
Abusive tricycle drivers have been suspected of being one of the causes of bottlenecks especially during peak hours.
The other one is the mall in the barangay where vehicles stop to drop or pick up passengers.
Thousands of passengers mostly workers at the different business and industrial establishments at Mactan Export Processing Phase II pass through Basak.
During his first term of office, former mayor and now lone district of Lapu-Lapu Rep. Arturo Radaza banned tricycles for hire from passing through the national highway.
The tricycles were only allowed to ply secondary roads.
At present, thousands of tricycles are operating in the city.
The city council is considering regulating tricycles for hire.
The operation of habal-habal has also been considered as contributory to the traffic problem in Lapu-Lapu. — THE FREEMAN