City Councilor Alan Gel Cordova is proposing a new traffic scheme for Dumaguete City that will have more one-way streets, and lessen traffic jams.
Cordova, who chairs the Committee on Traffic and Transportation, presented the plan before the City Council after conducting a series of consultations with various sectors.
The plan calls for reducing so-called “conflict points” from 685 to just 238, seen as a major factor to ease traffic congestion in the downtown area.
The plan is to make traffic flow one way in at least 14 narrow streets.
Silliman Ave., Rizal Boulevard, Perdices, Sta. Catalina, Colon, and Sta. Rosa streets will be two-way.
Public street parking shall not be allowed in front of establishments with proper setbacks.
The City Information Office said the City will pass an Ordinance as soon as they see traffic improve after a three-week test. Proper signage and wide information dissemination drive will be undertaken prior to the dry run.
The new traffic scheme was formulated after a study determined the most congested streets in the City. The study conducted by the Criminology Department of the Negros Oriental State University said 660,184 vehicles pass Dumaguete streets daily in a span of 12 hours, particularly during rush hours.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority as of 2015 puts the population of Dumaguete at 131,377.
Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo has also enlisted the help of the Provincial Highway Patrol Team and the Philippine National Police to help clear the major streets of obstructions, ambulant vendors and illegally-parked vehicles.
Meanwhile, the City will ban trucks and buses in the Central Business District during rush hours transport groups will be asked to establish terminals for jeepneys, multi-cabs and buses.
Public and private schools are also urged to open their campuses as additional parking spaces.
Finally, the City Hall will be relocated to the suburbs in a planned government center.
