Low-cost measures for mobility improvements

IT is time to abandon strategies that have failed. Spending on urban roads and bridges to serve more cars is a self-defeating strategy — the effect is to encourage further car use. A much better future lies ahead if energies and budgets are focused on improving the travel conditions of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users so that Filipinos abandon private motor vehicles.

It is not about halting urban road and bridge construction; it is about redefining the client so that roads and bridges in cities serve the mobility needs of those in the majority who do not use private motor vehicles. Below are 10 quick, low-budget actions that can be taken to improve our mobility environment for every one’s benefit:

– Adopt a 30-kilometer per hour (kph) speed limit on all urban roads except on limited access expressways. It will prevent severe crashes that could kill or seriously injure people walking or on bicycles and motorcycles. It will save thousands of lives, especially children and young adults. This is the global recommendation of the United Nations, World Health Organization and other international organizations concerned with road safety.

– Create safe walking and cycling pathway networks. Until now, the infrastructure priority in many cities has been to expand road networks for cars even though car-owning households make up only 6 percent of the population. Because of the importance of walking and cycling for the vast majority of Filipinos, every urban local government unit (LGU) should create safe networks for pedestrians and those on bicycles so that they can travel a continuous path to get from where they live to key destinations.

– Revise the performance measures of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways that reward them for enabling cars to move faster on urban roads. These unsafe and unjust targets should be replaced with performance measures that enhance the mobility and safety of people without cars. Car-centric performance measures benefit only a small minority and diminish the mobility of many who are dependent on public transport, walking and cycling.

– Designate selected streets as “slow streets” where pedestrians and cyclists have priority over motor vehicles at all times. Streets in front of schools will be good candidates. On such roads, speed limits would be lowered to 15 kph and traffic-calming infrastructure (e.g., speed bumps, raised crossings, chicanes) would be introduced to reduce motor vehicle speeds.

– Remove building parking space requirements (parking minimums) in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Building Code that benefit car owners but disadvantage everyone else. Property owners and developers should be allowed to determine how much parking their buildings need.

– Encourage every urban barangay (village) to designate at least one car-free street where motor vehicles through traffic are restricted at all times. Only vehicles of the street’s residents will be allowed to traverse the road and only at low speed. This measure can help to address the shortage of public open spaces in many cities. With some landscaping and benches, the street can serve as a neighborhood park, playground and community space.

– Restore the No Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP). While a Supreme Court ruling remains pending, the Department of Transportation, MMDA and concerned LGUs should already try to correct any data or procedural issues that have been raised. With the NCAP, roads were safer for all because drivers were highly motivated to comply with traffic rules and speed limits. Without the NCAP, we can expect many more Filipinos to be injured or killed in crashes.

– Sanction property owners who encroach on sidewalks, some of which have been converted to vehicle parking. If necessary, they could be required to restore the sidewalk or be subject to penalties. Sidewalks are public spaces and should not be appropriated for private benefit.

– Identify a major road or bridge in every city that will be free of all motor vehicles every Sunday morning. This will enable pedestrians to enjoy a large public open space free of vehicle pollution. During major holiday periods (e.g., December 26 to January 1) whole districts or tourism zones could even be designated as “car-free” to promote walking, cycling and

public transport use. Without private motor vehicles on major roads, public transport will be able to operate efficiently on such corridors and move many more people.

– Implement the speed limiter law. Republic Act 10916, or the “Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016” requires all public utility vehicles (PUVs) to install automatic speed limiter devices. With such, PUVs will not go beyond speed limits. Road safety will be advanced significantly with full implementation of the law.

If the Philippines continues to prioritize the use of roads for private motor vehicles, we will end up with unhealthy, unattractive and unproductive cities congested with cars. We need to learn from our mistakes and move forward with policies and investments that enable people to travel efficiently and safely on foot, on bicycles and on public transport.