DOTr partnership eyed to solve traffic woes

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio hopes that the partnership with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for a comprehensive transportation masterplan will solve the city’s congested roads.

The mayor bared the information during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with DOTr last Tuesday. The master plan was designed to revisit all studies regarding solutions to traffic woes.

“Traffic situation in Davao City has become a paramount challenge. The city government is trying to double its effort to address the problem,” Duterte-Carpio said.

A survey by the Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) showed that the traffic situation in Davao City became worse in the past six months.

This is based on the results of the City Wide Social SurveySeries 8 (CWSS) funded by the University Research Council and administered by the Social Research Training and Development Office (SRTDO) of Addu.

“Empiric data indicate that traffic situation in Davao City over the past six months became worse,” Dr. Christine Diaz, director of Social Research Training and Development Office, said.

Diaz also said Dabawenyos also perceive that overpopulation, limited lanes, and insufficient roads/route are among the reasons of traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, road widening, strict implementation of traffic rules, and training for drivers are the top three suggested solutions to address the problem.

The study, one of the administering researchers Mildred Estanda has conducted through random sampling with +/-4, 95 percent level of significance. The survey was conducted last October 21 to 26 with 630 respondents in three districts.

In a speech prior to the MOU signing, Davao City assistant administrator ltty. Dwight Domingo said that the city government of Davao has tapped DOTr for assistance in basically embarking a study to come up with a masterplan.

“DOTr has accepted our request in response to this assistance and it is our hope that through this MOU, Davao City through the technical and financial assistance of DOTR, the Davao city will have mass transport masterplan. It aims to guide Davao city as it courses its way to the rapid development that we are all experiencing right now,” Domingo said. KVC (For full story visit www. sunstar.com.ph/davao/