City traffic system upgrade: P27M

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government would need at least P27 million to upgrade the city’s traffic signal system.

The City Traffic Operations Management Board has requested the City Council to include the amount in the next supplemental budget. In response, the council referred the request to the local finance committee for appropriate action.

CITOM board chairman Ruben Almendras pointed out during their recent assembly that congestion in the city streets could be aided through updated traffic signal systems.

The “severe” traffic congestion, according to Almendras, is due to the increasing number of motor vehicles traversing avenues such as S. Osmeña Avenue, A. Soriano Avenue, J. Luna Avenue, Salinas Drive, Gov. Cuenco Avenue, Imus New Road, MJ Cuenco Avenue, General Maxilom Avenue Gorordo Avenue, N. Bacalso Avenue and V. Rama Avenue.

Almendras said there is really a need to upgrade the current system knowing that the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS) was acquired way back in 1991 or 23 years ago under the backing of the Metro Cebu Development Project-3.

“Due to wear and tear from continuous operation in the last twenty five years, our traffic signal system has degraded and is in need of replacement or upgrading,” Almendras explained.

“Without any intervention, the city’s traffic signal system will degrade further to the point of non-serviceability,” he added.

He informed the council that it is more practical and feasible to upgrade the system since parts for repair of SCATS are no longer available from any supplier given that the city’s version of the program is already “obsolete.”

Moreover, with the passage of the Bus Rapid Transit in the city, the system that has not been upgraded decades ago would be covered, said CITOM executive director Rafael Christopher Yap.

This system would be installed at the intersections “to allow unimpeded vehicular movement and pedestrian crossings”. - /ATO (FREEMAN)