MMDA team in Bacolod City until next Thursday
The team from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) tasked with studying the traffic situation in Bacolod City arrived in town over the weekend and is expected to remain until next Thursday, December 13.
“The best group that we can get to help us come up with a masterplan for traffic in Bacolod is the MMDA,” said Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia. “Not only are they equipped in academics, they have actual experience.”
He noted, if conducted by a private group, commissioning a master traffic plan “could cost millions” and said MMDA is providing their services for free.
Traffic engineers will be observing busy intersections during peak hours, comparing traffic volume to road capacity, and identifying traffic generators and problems.
Last year, a study by the Boston Consulting Group found Metro Manila has the third-worst traffic situation in Southeast Asia behind Bangkok, Thailand and Jakarta, Indonesia. They also project the city to reach “standstill levels,” or a situation where vehicles operate at less than 10 kilometers per hour, by 2022.
The study also found Metro Manila drivers are on average stuck in traffic for around 66 minutes a day.