Rama wants SRP motorcycle lane

CEBU, Philippines - “Death is awaiting in SRP.”

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants to have a lane along the South Road Properties (SRP) exclusively for motorcycles after a vehicular accident caused the death of a Dutchman in the area last Tuesday.

Rama instructed Cebu City Traffic Operations Management operations chief Jonathan Tumulak to coordinate with Department of Public Works and Highways-7 for the implementation of the motorcycle lane, saying there should be no more accidents in the area.

“Moingon dayon sila nga wala ko’y right nga mo-close anang SRP... unya tan-awa, naa’y patay. Dili man kaha maka-close ang mayor, ipa-close sa DPWH,” he said.

Rama said that he got to talk with DPWH Undersecretary Romeo Momo when he was in Manila with Metro Cebu Water District Chairman Rene Mercado and CITOM’s former executive director Victor Caindec for the traffic improvement of SRP.

Rama said that he will inform Secretary Rogelio Singson about the recent accident at SRP.

Last Tuesday, Harald Heinz Walter, 55, was declared dead on arrival at the Cebu City Medical Center after he was run over by a cement mixer truck at SRP.

“What was the cause? For sure they’re not following the speed limit,” Rama said, adding that he was a bit happy after seeing the signage of the 40 kilometer per hour speed limit at SRP.

Walter was driving his motorcycle heading south when he hit the cement mixer truck driven by Roger Visitacion, 44, of Sitio Panagdait Barangay Basak-San Nicolas, Cebu City. The truck is owned by Geo Transport.

Alberto Ollaban, attending CITOM enforcer, said both Walter and Visitacion were in the correct lane. However, Walter may have been overspeeding as evidenced by the 12-meter skid mark and the 7-meter drag mark.

Rama said that the motorcycle lane should be implemented as soon as possible.

“Death is awaiting in SRP,” Rama said.

Tumulak said that he will meet with DPWH officials next week to tackle the matter. He hopes that DPWH will consider the suggestion of the mayor to avoid further accidents.

Should the motorcycle lane will be implemented, it will be placed at the rightmost part of the road.

Tumulak also submitted the newly recorded vehicular accidents at the SRP to Rama. As per record, there were at least 25 traffic accidents at SRP within a 26-day monitoring period.

From January 24 to February 17, at least nine individuals were hospitalized and one was declared dead due to accidents. Tumulak said that most of the accidents involved motorcycles.  (FREEMAN)