Jitney lines relocation at Gov Pack improved traffic flow

September 14, 2020 Metro BLISTT

The relocation of several jitney lines to Governor Pack Rd. has significantly improved the traffic flow along several major streets in the central business district, according to the Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC). Pol.Lt.Col. Oliver Panabang and Engr. Juanario Borillo apprised the city council during the regular session, September 7, on the implementation of Executive Order 114, Series of 2020. EO 114-2020 has relocated the loading areas of jitney lines bound for Mines View, Navy Base, Tiptop, Pacdal Liteng, Lucnab, Maria Basa, and Happy Hallow to Governor Pack Road.
The executive order, issued on July 23 by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, stated transferring the loading and staging areas of public utility jitneys to strategic locations will help decongest the traffic at the Central Business District.
It further emphasized that the traffic problem and smoke pollution in the CBD “had reached an alarming level especially during rush hours, holidays, and weekends,” thus the need to improve the CBD’s air quality.
Borillo stressed that the stretch between Harrison Road and Magsaysay Avenue corridor is always congested due to the proximity of the jitneys’ loading areas to the center of the CBD.
The intersection between Magsaysay Avenue and General Luna Street is also a “point of conflict” due to the reduction of the carriageway of Magsaysay Avenue brought about by the heavy volume of pedestrians and vehicles in the area, Borillo added.
“The main purpose of transferring the PUJ loading areas is to improve the traffic flow by reducing conflict in and near intersections,” Borillo explained. In his report, Borillo concluded that the move to relocate the loading areas had achieved its objective.
The city council, however, questioned the veracity of Borillo’s report. Councilors Michael Lawana and Arthur Allad-iw said the TTMC’s evaluation of the implementation of EO 114-2020 was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic where there was a perceived reduction of vehicles and pedestrians in the main thoroughfares in the city as a result of the imposed restrictions on mobility.
The aldermen said the evaluation would have been more accurate if it were conducted in a normal setting. The report given by Borillo was a response to the city council’s resolution passed on May 27 requesting the TTMC to present an evaluation report on the one-month implementation of EO 114-2020.
Panabang also added that, as per his observation, the transfer of loading areas to Gov. Pack Rd. has significantly lessened pedestrian traffic in areas where the loading areas were previously located. According to him, the long queueing of commuters was addressed since the jitneys are now able to arrive and exit quickly. The fast turnover of jitneys minimizes crowding, he said.
The City Environment Parks Management Office has yet to finalize its report to determine the improvement of the air quality in the area in relation to the implementation of EO 114-2020.
JGH