Traffic rules given more teeth in Baguio

By Julie G. Fianza

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

BAGUIO CITY –Here’s fair warning to wayward drivers and motorists! The city government will now strictly enforce traffic rules even as it denied requests for exemptions to the number coding policy and proposals for additional loading unloading areas.  

During the Transport and Traffic Management Committee meeting last week, Mayor Mauricio Domogan said council ordinances on traffic should be followed.

Issues about parking, loading, unloading and staging areas of buses, jeepneys, van, delivery trucks and motorcycle services were tackled with representatives of offices.

The non-parking policy in selected roadsides shall be enforced, the mayor said, as with the specific loading and unloading areas of some jeepney trunklines along their official routes.

Public Utility Jeepneys should follow their designated routes, and odd-even schemes as imposed by the city and their own organizations, it was learned. 

Staging, loading and unloading were also tackled as some out-of-town Public Utility Jeepney (PUJs) and van services requested for areas for their use.

This was denied as their franchise stated their route was outside of Baguio City.

Other public utility vehicles with the proper franchises were also advised to acquire pay parking areas within the city for their vehicles, the committee decided.

Several motorcycle and van services requesting exemption from the number coding scheme were also denied.

This despite one company having several vehicles’ license plates ending in same numbers thus being grounded, all on the same day.

The concerned entities were either advised to use alternative routes or pay the passage fee for their vehicle.

The creation of a Traffic and Transport Management Office was also tackled, as the initiative was broached during the “Visioning Workshop for Sustainable and Low Emissions Transport,” last month.

Representatives from public and non-government offices were supportive of the idea, it was known.  

The said move is to rationalize transport and traffic flow, for the reduction of congestion, emission and energy use from the transport sector in the city.

Domogan however reminded the body that the creation of an office entails funds.

Priority shall be given to this next budgeting time, the mayor told the group.

Applications for parking slots along Harrison road were also looked into.

Approvals for allowed slots were done, while the results of the re-measurement of some big parking lots are being awaited.

Representatives from the Planning Office, Traffic Management Board of the Baguio City Police Office, City Legal Office, Land Transportation Office, jeepney and van association services attended the meeting.