Guidelines on traffic experiments adapted

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The implementation of traffic experiments in the city will now be governed by guidelines.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan has signed city council Ordinance No. 21 providing for these rules as introduced by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda and co-authored by Councilors Nicasio Aliping Jr. and Joel Alangsab and based on the report and recommendation of the Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Traffic Legislation.

“As a growing urban center, one of the problems besetting the city is traffic congestion. It is incumbent upon the city officials to explore possible, doable and acceptable solutions to ease the traffic situation,” the ordinance noted.

“Admittedly, there is a need to conduct traffic experiments to come up with the best solution and strategy. Although the experimental scheme maybe well planned by technical people, a wide information dissemination must be carried out prior to its implementation. A well-informed general public is a cooperative partner in the fruition of a smooth and better traffic management.”

The conduct of experiments will be subjected to the following guidelines:

* The experiment shall be conducted for a period not exceeding six (6) months. Upon the lapse of the 6-month period and no ordinance is enacted, the traffic scheme will automatically revert to its status before the experiment;

*Massive information on the proposed traffic experiment scheme shall be given to the concerned public not less than two weeks before the experiment. Any substantial alteration or modification to the scheme during the experimental period should be made known to the public at least two (2) days before the implementation;

*Before any ordinance is enacted embodying the experiment, a public hearing/consultation must be conducted by the concerned authorities;

*The Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) shall submit a preliminary report to the City Mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) within the first two (2) weeks of implementation of the experiment;

*Signages and barriers which meet safety standards should be in place during the period of experiment. This shall be done by the TTMC in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the City Engineering Office (CEO) and other concerned agencies; and

*An evaluation report must be submitted by the TTMC before the enactment of an ordinance to make the scheme permanent, or before the lapse of the six-month experiment, whichever comes first.

Violators will face appropriate administrative and criminal sanctions.