Expert: Traffic woes to worsen in 2020

CEBU, Philippines - A transport specialist has warned of worst traffic congestion in Cebu by year 2020 if no mass transport system would be operational by then.

Rene Santiago, president of the Transport Science Society of the Philippines, said Cebu needs to have a mass transit system to avert the possible situation.

“The size and scale of Cebu warrants a mass transport system a long time ago. We will have traffic just like Manila. The traffic that Cebuanos are experiencing now will be more severe by 2020,” Santiago said yesterday during the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board-Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan joint seminar on Urban Transportation Systems in Metro Cebu.

Santiago talked about the topic “Getting a Rail Project Up and Running for Metro Cebu”.

He said that the railways must be established in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu and the town of Cordova because 50 to 60 percent of Cebu’s population is concentrated in these areas as well as the economic activities.

Santiago explained that Cebu’s traffic will be worsened in 2020 because the province is booming and many people are acquiring more cars but roads have remained the same and have reached its limits.

Santiago said building railways should have been ongoing by now considering that it would take at least five years to finish the project. He said the Bus Rapid Transit would not be enough to decongest traffic. The BRT, he said, should complement the railway system.

“Having a BRT is not enough. It won’t solve traffic problems. It has to be complemented with a railway system,” Santiago said.

Cebu City north district Representative Raul del Mar said he was the one who proposed for the construction of a Light Railway Transit for Metro Cebu 20 years ago. However, times have passed and it’s about time for Cebu, specifically in his district, to have a subway.

“The northern part of Cebu City is heavily congested. With the subway we can expand the road capacity unya di pa gyud ta makasahul sa traffic during construction,” said Del Mar.

Roberto Aboitiz, co-chairperson of the MCDCB, said that Metro Cebu is facing various social, economic, and environmental challenges due to rapid urbanization.

“Congested streets and traffic jams causes delay and reduces productivity in our urban centers. Last year, it was reported that the Philippine’s capital, Manila, losses P2.4 billion daily because of traffic. Metro Cebu’s traffic situation is deteriorating too, we must act now and provide solutions,” said Aboitiz.

Transportation officials from Japan presented yesterday their traffic and transport management, various mode of public transportation, coastal commuting, among others.

“We are privileged once again, to learn from the Japanese experience, particularly on traffic and transport management. This is relevant in our endeavor of realizing an attractive Mega Cebu as ‘mobility’ has been identified as one of its key issues affecting our competiveness,” Aboitiz said.

Kumazawa Ken of the Japan International Cooperation Agency Study Team, who talked about the “Future Development Vision and Public Transportation Development Strategy in Metro Cebu suggested the following: to adequately design a mass transit system of Bus Rapid Transit, LTR and Metro Rail Transit to serve a metropolis of five million population; to promote integrated urban and rail development particularly at newly urbanized areas and around rail stations; to clearly define role sharing for project implementation among participating organizations/entities and to take immediate actions such as full-scale feasibility study.— (FREEMAN)