Rama, traffic group support road sharing scheme

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants to reduce the space for motorized vehicles in the city’s streets through a so-called “Green Loop” scheme.

“Our administration is pursuing more space for the people and less space for the vehicles. That is a global trend and in line with environmental preservations,” Rama said yesterday.

On Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., a road sharing scheme will be implemented in four major thoroughfares, including the Osmeña Boulevard, General Maxilom Avenue, Gorordo Avenue and Escario Street, to determine how effective and viable the approach.

Rope barriers will be placed along the route to guide the public.

Rama has directed the City Traffic Operations Management Executive Director Rafael Yap and CITOM operations chief Joy Tumulak to coordinate with the organizers closely, saying that “City Hall should not be reactive but proactive.”

Rama said the four-hour experiment seeks to determine the impact of the scheme on the environment, to the economy and to tourism.

“I supported it. Anyway it is just experimental. It is of most important that we attend to the needs of our people rather than the issue on mobility spaces. We have no doubt (road sharing experiment) and we are fully supporting it,” Rama said.

Anticipating that the event would create disturbance to vehicle traffic and to the public in general, Rama asked residents to cooperate and embrace change even for just four hours.

“Di man mahimo that we will not go through with some experimentation. Even sa politika there’s even a trial and error. Also, for instance in 2001 when I introduced a new approach of Sinulog carousel, hearing negative feedback like it would take three days to finish the Sinulog. But, we have to bring in advocacies and changes, whatever is the result of that change we will try empower it,” he said.

For his part, Yap believes that the Green Loop approach would not worsen the city’s traffic problem and would rather serve as a mitigation factor to decongest minor and major thoroughfares.

He explained that under the scheme, motorized and non-motorized vehicles will be dedicated one lane each to utilize, as designed by the University of San Carlos College of Architecture and Fine Arts.

The lane immediately beside the center island is designated to be occupied by motorized vehicles while the outer lane, beside the sidewalk, is for bikes and pedestrians who wish to walk.

Under non-motorized are bicycles, as well as pedestrians, which can freely ply the assigned road without competing with motorized vehicles, thereby erasing risks of accidents. — (FREEMAN)