City forms traffic task force for SRP

CEBU, Philippines- With the growing number of vehicles passing the South Coastal Road, a multi-agency task force group has been formed to strictly enforce road safety rules and manage traffic at the South Road Properties.

The SRP Traffic Task Force is an initiative meant to ensure smooth traffic flow and to attend to traffic concerns at the 300-hectare property, with the anticipated boom in commercial activity in the area.

Headed by the Cebu City Traffic Office (formerly the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management), it would also watch out for reckless motorists and would quickly respond to road emergencies.

CCTO Executive Director Rey Gealon said the group first convened Friday last week to deliberate on the traffic concerns at the SRP and discuss how these could be addressed at.

“Among the things that we have discussed are strict enforcement of traffic ordinances and the regulation of motorcycles and non-motorized vehicles like bicycles and trisikads,” he said.

Among other concerns, he said they saw the need for several LED signage along the route for motorists to better absorb safety reminders and other necessary information.

The task force also intends to request for towing trucks or tractors, digital hand-held radios, and closed-circuit television cameras for daily traffic operation of its personnel.

“Speed guns and liquor analyzer are also needed for the full implementation of the speed limit and apprehension of drunk drivers, respectively, thus 40 kilometers per hour remains to be the speed limit at the SRP,” Gealon said.

The task force’s regular meeting is every first Wednesday of the month and special meetings, if necessary, could be scheduled anytime to provide weekly updates and records on accidents and/or crimes or related information needed during its daily operation.

Aside from CCTO, the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Cebu City Police Office special units Mobile Patrol Group and Traffic Patrol Group are part of the task force.

“LTO is for the purpose of implementing national traffic rules, such as the Traffic Code of the Philippines, while LTFRB is for implementing laws relating to franchising, especially for public utility vehicles,” Gealon said.

“MGP and TPG personnel are stationed to respond immediately to alarms relating to crimes and road accidents,” he further said.

A rash of traffic accidents, several of them fatal, the past few months has prompted the Cebu City government to implement a 40-kilometer-per-hour speed limit at the SRP.

It is observed, however, that many still do not observe such a rule due to inability of authorities to strictly enforce it because of lack of personnel.  (FREEMAN)