More suggestions to improve traffic

More suggestions on how to improve our traffic problem in Metro Manila have been coming in. The latest is from Fernando Anluagui, and here’s what he says:

“[Here is] my one cent worth of suggestion to decongest EDSA, from a humble and observant daily commuter and not an international road expert – something to ponder on.

“Aside from improving the road condition along EDSA, MMDA [Metropolitan Manila Development Authority] should revisit how to improve traffic flow thus not incurring additional fuel wastage for cars and buses that have to traverse the expanse of EDSA at snail’s pace.

“With all the expertise of the DOTC and MMDA team of experts to find a way of declogging the perennial nightmarish traffic jam at EDSA, indeed it needs the political will of the President.

“But indeed, it doesn’t need all those experts’ advice but only [from] a grade schooler from the province who experienced this nightmarish situation on EDSA on his one Saturday outing has envisaged a practical solution using his archaic arithmetic as a tool to have an alternative less traffic stressful ride along the stretch of the EDSA jungle.

“This grade school savant has observant eyes and a very imaginative mind to boot. With his simple mental arithmetic addition and subtraction exercises, he was challenged to find a solution to constrict the number of buses plying EDSA day in and out.

Too many buses plying EDSA

“As what was studied by JICA, the maximum numbers of buses that can ply EDSA is only 1,600, yet it is believed to that as many as 3,600 and even a maximum of 12,000 buses pass EDSA every day.

“Instead of 3,600 buses passing EDSA every day, the government can convince the bus operators to phase out their current fleet of 5- to 10-year old buses with new double decker buses. This means that you reduce by half the number of buses passing through EDSA every day.

“It makes sense to see this situation. Indeed, it will entail the political will of P-Noy to make his point with bus operators to form a consortium of at least 10 bus operators per team or a maximum of 10 consortiums for 100 previous bus operators. It can also help reduce the carbon print of burnt gas exhausts along EDSA emitted by too many buses.

“Indeed, there is a good chance that traffic will slowly, but surely move faster with less buses. Over speeding can also be reduced since lunatic drivers cannot afford to run the double-decker buses at full speed.

“The A station and B station schemes of MMDA can well be implemented; what fly-by-night operator will unleash colorum double-deckers without incurring a huge ROI loss?

“This scheme can be replicated along Roxas Blvd. and along the Recto to Marikina bus lanes.

Disallow jeepneys

“P-Noy needs the political will to disallow the thousands of jeepneys traversing the main thoroughfares from Caloocan to Baclaran passing through Avenida Rizal through Taft Avenue. Jeepneys should be disallowed from Recto Ave. to Sta. Mesa to Cubao through Aurora Blvd. up to Masinag going to Antipolo and through Marikina City proper.

“Jeepneys should be disallowed from Greenhills passing through Ortigas Ave. to Rosario, Cainta to Antipolo. Jeepneys should act as feeder transports where the double decker buses start/end from Caloocan to Baclaran through EDSA, Caloocan to Baclaran through Avenida Rizal; Recto Ave. to Masinag and Marikina through Sta. Mesa along Aurora Blvd.”

Discipline starts with MMDA people

Francis Lopez, on the other hand, has some suggestions for the MMDA.

“We need to educate MMDA – its officers and enforcers, on traffic rules, regulations and enforcement.

“There are signs stating “No Counter Flow,” but we see enforcers allowing counter flow. Instead of enforcing, they encourage drivers to ignore the traffic rules. All enforcers should strictly and consistently enforce the rules – otherwise, drivers will think the enforcers allow such violations.

“During the Gordon days in Subic, everybody was following the traffic rules, simply because everybody knew that traffic rules were being strictly enforced.

Traffic enforcers vs traffic aides

“MMDA should also differentiate traffic enforcers from traffic aides. Traffic enforcers should enforce the rules. Traffic aides should ease the flow of traffic without violating the rules. On occasion when there is a gridlock, the traffic enforcer should not just sit and look for traffic violators; he should unlock the grid.

“Some major intersections require more than one traffic aide; they should be well coordinated – ideally with radio communication, otherwise they will just cause more traffic.

“I was apprehended once by an enforcer/aide. He was saying I was swerving. When I asked to clarify his citation, he said that I changed lanes. I asked further if it was a violation to change lanes on broken lines, with my signal lights blinking? He just said I am not supposed to change lanes. Period! So I asked the meaning of “broken lines.” He could not answer so I asked him to ask his supervisor. His supervisor just told him to let me go.

“It appears that nobody in MMDA is aware of road marking conventions – and so we have all kinds of lines and colors. Note that if one follows these lines, one will hit the island or barriers, or will have to swerve to another lane thus adding to the traffic.

“These lines are supposed to guide drivers on roads that would narrow – from four lanes to three lanes; but what usually happens is that drivers just maintain the four lanes in a three-lane road.” –Rey Gamboa (The Philippine Star)