The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) yesterday called for the declaration of a traffic crisis in Metro Manila and the appointment of a traffic czar who will address the road gridlocks that not only besmirch the country’s reputation but also cause economic losses.
In a statement, MAP called for the appointment by the President of a traffic czar to lead a traffic management team.
MAP said the traffic czar should be vested with full powers and authority to mobilize, direct and deploy existing relevant resources of the government, both national and local, during the exigency of this crisis.
“The title of having the worst traffic in the world is affirmation of a known fact There is a traffic crisis in Metro Manila,” said MAP, proponent of the Busway solution to the severe public bus transportation problem in EDSA.
The MAP also recommends a holistic plan consisting of specific measures that would help address the traffic crisis: organize Metro Manila
into four traffic management zones to be headed by a qualified Zone Traffic Manager; revive the Mabuhay Lanes and optimizing their use as alternate routes to relieve traffic congestion along major routes, such as EDSA, C4, C5 and radial roads and create new ones ; comply with the National Transport Plan of 2017, particularly to prioritize mass public transport over private vehicles and for this purpose; completion of the EDSA Busway to cover other major thoroughfares, such as Commonwealth avenue, Quezon avenue, Sucat avenue, Alabang-Zapote road; privatization of the operation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit 3 and Light Rail Transit 2; build a new government center and transfer all national offices to the New Clark City and impose a moratorium on building new government offices in Metro Manila and; fully develop a Pasig River and Laguna Lake passenger ferry system.
