Traffic crisis declared in Cebu

CEBU CITY – A traffic crisis was declared in Cebu on a day that Governor Gwen Garcia was forced to get out of her car and make her way to the Provincial Capitol on foot just to make it on time for Monday’s regular flag ceremony.

Hours later, the Provincial Board on Monday approved a resolution filed by Board Member Glenn Soco, declaring a traffic crisis in Cebu.

"Declaring a traffic crisis is a way of acknowledgment that we are in an immense difficulty and that important decisions must be made. We are facing extraordinary time thus the need for extraordinary measures," Soco said in a privilege speech on Monday afternoon.

Also approved was a separate resolution, also filed by Soco, urging the Congress to grant powers to President Rodrigo Duterte "to fast-track the passage and approval of effective measures to address traffic congestion in Metro Cebu."

Soco said traffic in Metro Cebu has worsened that it now takes him 45 minutes to travel to the Capitol, which was actually only five kilometers from his home.

"In the afternoon when I go home around 5 p.m., I would spend at least one hour travelling the same distance," said Soco, who heads the planning and development committee.

Soco said that a study by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) showed that the gridlock is costing Metro Cebu R1.1 billion in losses a day.

"It could only grow by the day before it could go down. This would result to loss of productive man-hours, higher consumption of fuel and vehicle cost for our drivers, loss of economic opportunities which will slow down Cebu's growth," he added.

Soco said road rage due to heated arguments during gridlocks were also becoming common place in Metro Cebu streets.

Soco cited several causes for the worsening traffic, such as the growing population of Metro Cebu, undisciplined drivers and commuters, narrow roads and the lack of coordination between the private and government sectors and even among the local government units.

Soco also lamented the delay in the release of budget for the several infrastructure projects lined up in Cebu, which were supposed to ease the traffic problem.

"The Metro Cebu Expressway, which is 73.4-kilometer road network passing the mountainous part, from the City of Naga to Dana City, has started. It is sad to note that it has only received total funding of R600 million for 2018 and 2019 for an estimated R50 billion project. Given the snail-pace manner of budgeting for the said project, it is safe to assume that will it not be finished on or before 2022 as promised," Soco said.

Garcia, meanwhile, has tasked the Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas to present its traffic management plan when members of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) convene.

As chairman of MCDCB, Garcia is pushing for the establishing of U-turn slots and roundabouts instead of the more expensive flyovers or underpasses.